Aliphatic poly(propylene dicarboxylate)s: Effect of chain length on thermal properties and crystallization kinetics

Polyesters based on 1,3-propanediol glycol and aliphatic dicarboxylic acids with different chain length were synthesized by melt polycondensation, obtaining samples characterized by high and comparable Mn. The polymers were subjected to molecular and thermal characterization. All polymers showed a good thermal stability, even though depending on the chain length. At room temperature all the polymers appeared as semicrystalline materials; the effect of the chain length was a lowering in the Tg value, an odd-even fluctuation for Tm and an increase of the crystallization rate. A comparison of the X-ray data revealed that the polymers with odd carbon number per repeat unit, show similar patterns, different from those of samples with even carbon atoms number. Multiple endotherms were evidenced in melt isothermally crystallized samples, due to melting and recrystallization processes. By applying the Hoffman-Weeks' method, the Tm0 of the samples was derived. Lastly, the presence of an interphase was not evidenced.