Molecular segregation and nucleation of poly(ethylene oxide) crystallized from the melt. I. Calorimetric study

Thermal analysis is used to elucidate the fusion of fractions of poly(ethylene oxide) of from 3500 to 5000000 molecular weight. In addition, the equilibrium and nonequilibrium phase diagrams of binary mixtures of these fractions have been studied. Complete segregation from high‐molecular‐weight polymer is possible up to at leat 20000 molecular weight. This segregation is not governed by the melting/crystallization equilibrium, but rather by molecular nucleation. Over a broader crystallization temperature range three regions can be identified. At low crystallization temperature, solid solutions result, at higher temperature one finds an intermediate type of crystallization, and ultimately one reaches complete, eutectic segregation. This work will be followed by analysis of the kinetics of crystallization.