Abstract
Crystallization kinetics of the polymer networks consisting of end-linked poly (tetrahydrofuran) (PTHF) has been studied by thermomechanical analysis (TMA) and small-angle light scattering (SALS) as functions of crosslinking density and crystallization temperature. In the case of polymer networks, it is expected that the rate of crystallization and the degree of crystallinity are lower than those of linear polymers because of highly restricted mobility and topological restriction of the network chains. The experimental results disclosed that the rate of crystallization at a given temperature decreased dramatically by increasing crosslinking density. This phenomenon is accounted for by the difference in the degree of supercooling. A regime theory analysis suggests that the crystallization of the network in the temperature range studied in this work belongs to regime II. On the other hand, a regime II to III transition was indicated for the prepolymer crystallized at 5°C.
