Crystallization study of poly(ethylene oxide)/chitin and poly(ethyleneoxide)/chitosan blends

摘要

The crystallization behavior of several blends of polyethylene oxide/chitin (PEO/QA) andpolyethylene oxide/chitosan (PEO/QN) blends has been investigated and compared with a PEOhomopolymer. The chitin and chitosan were added in 0.5 and 1% to evaluate the effect as nucleatingagent of these polysaccharides on the crystallization of polyethylene oxide. The highest nucleationefficiencies were obtained for the systems PEO/QN 99/1 (19% efficiency with respect to PEO selfnuclei)and PEO/QA 99/1 (15%). A peculiar reduction in spherulite growth rates was also detectedwhen QN and QA were employed.