Effect of the precise branching of polyethylene at each 21st CH2 group on its phase transitions, crystal structure, and morphology
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK) & Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL)
- University of Florida, Jackson Laboratory
- University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UTK)
- University of Florida
Three linear polyethylenes with branches at every 21st backbone atom have been analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and quasi-isothermal, temperature-modulated DSC. The branches were methyl (PE1M), dimethyl (PE2M), and ethyl groups (PE1E). Linear polyethylene (HDPE) and atactic poly(octadecyl acrylate) (PODA) were also analyzed. All were compared to a random poly(ethylene-co-octene-1) of similar branch concentration (LLDPE) and poly(4,4'-phthaloimidobenzoyldoeicosyleneoxycarbonyl) (PEIM-22). The HDPE has the highest melting temperature and crystallinity with relatively large contributions of reversing melting when grown as folded-chain crystals. The precisely branched polyethylenes and copolymers have lower melting temperatures and heats of fusion. Of the branched samples, PE1M crystallizes more readily, followed by PE1E and PE2M, with PE2M showing cold crystallization. In contrast to paraffins of equal length which melt fully reversibly, the precisely designed, branched polymers melt largely irreversibly with small amounts of reversing melting, which is least for the best-grown crystals. The PE1M forms monoclinic, PE1E, pseudohexagonal, or triclinic crystals, and PE2M has a multitude of crystal structures.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Science (SC)
- DOE Contract Number:
- DE-AC05-00OR22725
- OSTI ID:
- 931245
- Journal Information:
- Macromolecules, Vol. 39, Issue 1
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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