LAUSR

Abstract Agglomeration of β nucleating agent (β-NA) strongly affects the nucleating efficiency and dispersion of β-NA and self-assembly morphology of β-NA are important factors for better properties of β-PP product. In this work, a nonionic surfactant was utilized to assist the self-assembly of β-NA as a special nucleating agent for the crystallization of polypropylene. The influence of nonionic surfactant on the self-assembly behaviour, β nucleating ability, and dispersion status were investigated by polarized optical microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry and in-situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscope. The result suggested that surfactant assisted self-assembled β-NA exhibited higher β nucleating ability, longer needle-like frameworks, and better dispersion status. In-situ FTIR result showed that the surfactant accelerated the breaking up of intermolecular hydrogen bonds of β-NA, which may accelerate the β-NA dissolution. A model was proposed to explain the mechanism of surfactant assisted β-NA self-assembly. This work may have significant meaning in the regulation of β-NA self-assembly.