Non‐isothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene/bamboo fiber/nano‐TiO2 composites.

Non‐isothermal crystallization kinetics of polypropylene/bamboo fiber/nano‐TiO2 (PP/BF/nano‐TiO2) composites was investigated using differential scanning calorimetric technique with various cooling rates (2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 30°C min−1). The influence of different loading concentration (0, 0.1, 0.4, and 0.8 wt%) of TiO2 nanoparticles on the nucleation ability of polypropylene was evaluated. The Avrami equation, Ozawa, and Mo model were applied to describe the non‐isothermal crystallization behaviors and to analyze the experimental data of the PP/BF/nano‐TiO2 composites. The Friedman isoconversional model was employed to calculate the effective activation energy (Ea) of the samples. The experimental data were in perfect agreement with the Mo model during the investigated crystallization temperature and the loading concentration of TiO2 nanoparticles. The TiO2 nanoparticles concentration of 0.4 wt% was useful for improving crystallization process of the PP matrix in the composites by accelerating the crystallization rate along with the lower values of t1/2 and Ea. However, we observed no significant changes in the onset crystallization temperature(To) and the crystallization peak temperature(Tp) with the incorporation of TiO2 nanoparticles in the PP matrix, suggesting that the influence of TiO2 nanoparticles was more remarkable at the crystal growth instead of nucleation stage for the PP/BF/nano‐TiO2 composites system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]