Reversible nucleation behavior of N, N′-dicyclohexylterephthalamide to polypropylene with the aid of polyamide 12

Through the hydrogen bonding between polyamide 12 (PA12) and N, N′-dicyclohexylterephthalamide (DCHT) nucleator, the intentionally controlled self-assembly of DCHT and the crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) matrix are investigated. The introduction of PA12 could severely postpone the condensation of DCHT vapor in iPP matrix due to the reduced vapor concentration. As a result, the nucleating efficiency of DCHT at lower concentration for example iPP/PA12/0.05DCHT even failed at a relatively higher final heating temperature Tf. Such a failure of nucleating efficiency could be recoverable after a step-cycle treatment at lower Tf, where the sublimation of DCHT can hardly occur. The changes from a cluster-like structure to a network structure driven by hydrogen bonding between DCHT and PA12 could be a reason of nucleation failure and recovery. This means that the nucleating efficiency of DCHT and crystallization of iPP could be tuned by controlling the absorption and release of DCHT vapor at the surface of PA12 particles. For iPP/PA12/0.5DCHT with a higher concentration of DCHT, the absorption of PA12 could only reduce the DCHT vapor concentration in the iPP melt and thus, the dendrite structure of DCHT shows more and thinner branches, which results in better nucleating efficiency of DCHT than that in iPP/0.5DCHT. [Display omitted] •The presence of PA12 could absorb DCHT vapor in iPP matrix and postpone its condensation.•The nucleation failure and recovery of DCHT could be regulated by step-cycle treatment.•The nucleating efficiency of DCHT could be tuned by controlling the absorption and release from PA12.