Nucleation ability of multiwall carbon nanotubes in polypropylene composites

The nonisothermal crystallization of multiwall carbon nanotube (MWNT)/isotactic polypropylene (iPP) nanocomposites was investigated. The results derived from the differential scanning calorimetry curves (onset temperature, melting point, supercooling, peak temperature, half‐time of crystallization, and enthalpy of crystallization) were compared with those of neat iPP. The data were also processed according to Ozawa's theory and Dobreva's approach. These results and X‐ray diffraction data showed that the MWNTs acted as α‐nucleating agents in iPP. Accordingly, MWNT/iPP was significantly different from neat iPP: A fibrillar morphology was observed instead of the usual spherulites. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 520–527, 2003