Crystallization of polypropylene at various cooling rates

Crystallization of polypropylene (PP) can result in formation of different crystal modifications depending on external conditions. The mechanisms of formation of various crystal modifications in polypropylene are still under discussion. We have investigated non-isothermal melt crystallization of isotactic polypropylene at cooling rates ranging from 1 up to 180,000 K/min using two types of differential scanning calorimeters-standard device Perkin–Elmer DSC Pyris-1 and ultra-fast calorimeter. Additional results were obtained by means of wide angle X-ray scattering and optical microscopy. At cooling rates below 6000 K/min there is only one exothermic peak corresponding to simultaneous crystallization of α- and β-modifications. At cooling rates higher than 6000 K/min there is additional low temperature DSC peak corresponding to formation of mesomorphic phase. At the rates higher than 36,000 K/min there is no trace of formation of any ordered phase. In our opinion this complex behavior observed during crystallization of polypropylene can be explained using the concept of metastable phases. An increase of β content in samples with quinacridone pigment has been observed only at very low cooling rates, corresponding to high temperatures of crystallization and low homogeneous nucleation rate.