Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies

The first stages of the crystallization of polycaprolactone (PCL) were studied using several techniques. The crystallization exotherms measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were analyzed and compared with results obtained by polarized optical microscopy (POM), rheology, and atomic forc...

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Main Authors: V. Speranza, A. Sorrentino, F. De Santis, R. Pantani
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2014-01-01
Series:The Scientific World Journal
Online Access:http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/720157
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author V. Speranza
A. Sorrentino
F. De Santis
R. Pantani
author_facet V. Speranza
A. Sorrentino
F. De Santis
R. Pantani
author_sort V. Speranza
collection DOAJ
description The first stages of the crystallization of polycaprolactone (PCL) were studied using several techniques. The crystallization exotherms measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were analyzed and compared with results obtained by polarized optical microscopy (POM), rheology, and atomic force microscope (AFM). The experimental results suggest a strong influence of the observation scale. In particular, the AFM, even if limited on time scale, appears to be the most sensitive technique to detect the first stages of crystallization. On the contrary, at least in the case analysed in this work, rheology appears to be the least sensitive technique. DSC and POM provide closer results. This suggests that the definition of induction time in the polymer crystallization is a vague concept that, in any case, requires the definition of the technique used for its characterization.
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spelling doaj-art-bce2497d0d2a44d09da3ba895b6428dc2025-08-20T02:18:51ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal2356-61401537-744X2014-01-01201410.1155/2014/720157720157Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM StudiesV. Speranza0A. Sorrentino1F. De Santis2R. Pantani3Department of Industrial Engineering (DIIN), University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, ItalyInstitute for Composite and Biomedical Materials (IMCB), National Research Council (CNR), Piazzale Enrico Fermi 1, 80055 Portici, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering (DIIN), University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, ItalyDepartment of Industrial Engineering (DIIN), University of Salerno, Via Giovanni Paolo II, 84084 Fisciano, ItalyThe first stages of the crystallization of polycaprolactone (PCL) were studied using several techniques. The crystallization exotherms measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were analyzed and compared with results obtained by polarized optical microscopy (POM), rheology, and atomic force microscope (AFM). The experimental results suggest a strong influence of the observation scale. In particular, the AFM, even if limited on time scale, appears to be the most sensitive technique to detect the first stages of crystallization. On the contrary, at least in the case analysed in this work, rheology appears to be the least sensitive technique. DSC and POM provide closer results. This suggests that the definition of induction time in the polymer crystallization is a vague concept that, in any case, requires the definition of the technique used for its characterization.http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/720157
spellingShingle V. Speranza
A. Sorrentino
F. De Santis
R. Pantani
Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies
The Scientific World Journal
title Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies
title_full Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies
title_fullStr Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies
title_full_unstemmed Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies
title_short Characterization of the Polycaprolactone Melt Crystallization: Complementary Optical Microscopy, DSC, and AFM Studies
title_sort characterization of the polycaprolactone melt crystallization complementary optical microscopy dsc and afm studies
url http://dx.doi.org/10.1155/2014/720157
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AT asorrentino characterizationofthepolycaprolactonemeltcrystallizationcomplementaryopticalmicroscopydscandafmstudies
AT fdesantis characterizationofthepolycaprolactonemeltcrystallizationcomplementaryopticalmicroscopydscandafmstudies
AT rpantani characterizationofthepolycaprolactonemeltcrystallizationcomplementaryopticalmicroscopydscandafmstudies