A modeling of the irreversible melting kinetics of polymer crystals responding to temperature modulation with retardation of melting rate coefficient

An extension of the modeling proposed previously has been examined for the irreversible melting kinetics of polymer crystals on heating with response to temperature modulation. The previous modeling has been successful in the explanation of the frequency dependence of the apparent heat capacity obta ined with temperature modulated DSC in the melting region of poly(ethylene terephthalate), polyethylene and poly(caprolactam). In the present work thi s modeling was extended to explain an unusual behavior reported by Schawe e t al. for poly(epsilon -caprolactone) and syndiotactic polypropylene, in wh ich the latent heat gave a substractive effect to the real part of the appa rent heat capacity. A retardation of the melting rate coefficient in respon se to temperature change has been considered. The retardation implies an ac tivation process in the melting kinetics of polymer crystals. (C) 2001 Else vier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.