Nonisothermal Crystallization Kinetics of Ethylene Vinyl Alcohol Copolymer with Poly(oxypropylene)diamine Intercalated Montmorrilonite

Films of ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) and EVOH containing poly(oxypropylene)diamine intercalated montmorrilonite were prepared by solution casting. The nanostructures and viscosity were characterized by small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and rheological testing. The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of the samples were investigated by the Ozawa's and Mo's methods and the crystallization activation energy by Kissinger's model. The SAXS and TEM analysis demonstrated that the nanoplatelets, with an intercalated structure, were dispersed in the EVOH matrix. The rheological tests showed that the incorporation of the modified clay could increase the viscosity of the composite system. The Mo's method more successfully described the nonisothermal ctystallization behavior of neat EVOH and its nanocomposites as compared with the Ozawa's method. Adding the nanoclays had a heterogeneous nucleation effect to accelerate the crystallization of EVOH despite hindering the macromolecular chains movement.