On the properties of large banded spherulites in a maleic anhydride-polyacrylonitrile mixture

We investigate the solidification of a mixture of maleic anhydride and 2% ( by wt) polyacrylonitrile as the undercooling is varied. Such mixtures show banded spherulites with band spacings over an order of magnitude larger tha n any seen before. We show that these large banded spherulites share many o f the same properties as banded spherulites found in other systems. Our exp eriments suggest an explanation for the minimum undercooling threshold comm only observed for banded spherulites. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All ri ghts reserved.