Miscibility and melting behavior of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/poly(trimethylene terephthalate) blends

Abstract

Abstract The miscibility and melting behavior of binary crystalline blends of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)/poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) have been investigated with differential scanning calorimetry and scanning electron microscope. The blends exhibit a single composition‐dependent glass transition temperature ( T g ) and the measured T g fit well with the predicted T g value by the Fox equation and Gordon‐Taylor equation. In addition to that, a single composition‐dependent cold crystallization temperature ( T cc ) value can be observed and it decreases nearly linearly with the low T g component, PTT, which can also be taken as a valid supportive evidence for miscibility. The SEM graphs showed complete homogeneity in the fractured surfaces of the quenched PET/PTT blends, which provided morphology evidence of a total miscibility of PET/PTT blend in amorphous state at all compositions. The polymer–polymer interaction parameter, χ 12 , calculated from equilibrium melting temperature depression of the PET component was −0.1634, revealing miscibility of PET/PTT blends in the melting state. The melting crystallization temperature ( T mc ) of the blends decreased with an increase of the minor component and the 50/50 sample showed the lowest T mc value, which is also related to its miscible nature in the melting state. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008