Study on the crystallization of poly(butylene azelate-co-butylene succinate) copolymers

•Crystallization behavior of copolyesters constituted by highly different units.•Comonomer inclusion and extrusion models.•Equilibrium melting temperatures of copolymers having azelate and succinate units.•Enhanced crystallization of butylene azelate segments by rapid cooling.•Secondary nucleation constants of poly(butylene azelate-co-butylene succinate).

Poly(butylene azelate-co-butylene succinate) samples with different azelate/succinate ratios were synthesized and characterized. Calorimetric data indicate a semicrystalline character for all copolyesters studied and a melting point depression that could be interpreted on the basis of complete exclusion of comonomers from well organized lamellae. Crystallization first occurred through the succinate rich segments, which resulted in a peculiar behavior of copolymers having an intermediate composition. In this case, crystallization of azelate segments was paradoxically enhanced when samples were quenched. Equilibrium melting temperatures significantly decreased with increasing comonomer content compared to those of the corresponding homopolymers. Incorporation of comonomers had a distinct effect on the secondary nucleation constant depending on the composition as deduced from Lauritzen and Hoffman analysis. Thus, azelate units clearly increased the nucleation constant of copolymers rich on succinate units, whereas the incorporation of succinate units had a lower influence on the constant of copolyesters having high azelate content.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide