ISOTHERMAL AND NONISOTHERMAL CRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS OF NYLON-11

Analysis of the isothermal, and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of Nylon-11 is carried out using differential scanning calorimetry. T he Avrami equation and that modified by Jeziorny can describe the prim ary stage of isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization of Nylon-11. In the isothermal crystallization process, the mechanism of spherulit ic nucleation and growth are discussed; the lateral and folding surfac e free energies determined from the Lauritzen-Hoffman equation are sig ma = 10.68 erg/cm(2) and sigma(e) = 110.62 erg/cm(2); and the work of chain folding q = 7.61 Kcal/mol. In the nonisothermal crystallization process, Ozawa analysis failed to describe the crystallization behavio r of Nylon-ii. Combining the Avrami and Ozawa equations, we obtain a n ew and convenient method to analyze the nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of Nylon-11; in the meantime, the activation energies are det ermined to be -394.56 and 328.37 KJ/mol in isothermal and nonisotherma l crystallization process from the Arrhonius form and the Kissinger me thod. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.