Crystallization Kinetics and Melting Behavior of Novel Biobased Poly(butylene 2,5‐thiophenedicarboxylate)

Abstract

AbstractPoly(butylene 2,5‐thiophenedicarboxylate) (PBTh) is a novel biobased semicrystalline polyester with superior thermal, mechanical, and gas barrier properties; however, the crystallization kinetics and melting behavior of PBTh have not been studied in detail so far. The crystallization kinetics of PBTh was first studied in this research. The Ozawa equation failed to describe the nonisothermal melt crystallization kinetics of PBTh due to the secondary crystallization. The crystallization activation energy value was calculated by the Friedman method, which was negative and exhibited the conversion dependence. The isothermal melt crystallization kinetics of PBTh was well described by the Avrami equation in a wide range of crystallization temperature from 84 to 120 °C. PBTh showed the fastest crystallization rate at 104 °C; moreover, the Avrami exponent value slightly varied between 2.2 and 2.7, suggesting the same crystallization mechanism within the investigated temperature range. PBTh displayed one or two melting endotherms depending on crystallization temperature, which was well explained by the melting, recrystallization, and remelting mechanism. In addition, the equilibrium melting point of PBTh was estimated to be 163.1 °C with the Hoffmann−Weeks equation.