A series of N-alkyl-p-toluenesulfonamides (ATSA) were synthesized and
identified. The measurement of solution viscosity of poly(ethylene ter
ephthalate) (PET) proved that ATSA does not react with PET during the
melting process of PET/ATSA mixtures, and consequently does not cause
any decrease of molecular weight of PET. The compatibility of ATSA wit
h PET was investigated by polarized light and scanning electron micros
copy. Phase separation could not be found to a 0.5 mu m level. The inv
estigation of crystallization of PET/ATSA mixtures by me ans of differ
ential scanning calorimetry revealed that ATSA significantly accelerat
es the crystallization rate of PET; and that ATSA is more effective wh
en increasing the length of alkyl chains within ATSA. The increase of
crystallization rate of PET is proposed to be caused by the improvemen
t of molecular motion of chains, which can be proved by the depression
of glass transition temperature when ATSA is added.