Crystallization kinetics of montmorillonite/poly(vinylidene fluoride) composites and its correlation with the crystalline polymer phase formation

The crystallization kinetics of poly(vinylidene fluoride), PVDF, and montmorillonite, MMT, clay composites is studied. The MMT fillers act as nucleation agents of the PVDF polymer, leading to a lower spherulite growth rate but an overall reduction of the crystallization time. This fact, together with the polymer-clay surface interactions, is at the origin of the nucleation of the electroactive γ-phase of PVDF by the un-modified MMT clays.