FURI | Spring 2022
Sensing Crystallinity During Non-Isothermal Melt Crystallization Processes in Semicrystalline Polymers
Our research group recently developed a fluorescence technique for sensing the melting transitions of semi-crystalline thermoplastics and has been extended to an in-situ study of non-isothermal melt crystallization by monitoring the T-dependent fluorescence intensity of fluorescent probes. The first derivative of this intensity data provides insight into the onset, peak, and endset crystallization temperatures, all of which align with conventional differential scanning calorimetry measurements. This facile, sensitive, and contact-free fluorescence technique can access faster cooling rates than other existing methods for non-isothermal crystallization studies relevant in industrial settings. Future research in this technique involves sensing local crystallization characteristics in blends, composites, and multilayer films.