High‐temperature aging of Halar film. II. Analysis of melting behavior

Melting behavior of an experimental Halar film, a predominantly alternating 1:1 copolymer of ethylene (E) and chlorotrifluoroethylene (CTFE), has been studied. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) reveals single or double melting peaks, depending upon the thermal history. The lower‐temperature melting peak Tm1 is produced only by the thermal treatment and shows a strong dependence on annealing time and temperature. On the basis of the DSC and x‐ray data it can be suggested that Tm1 represents the melting of relatively small crystallites formed upon annealing. The higher‐temperature melting peak Tm2 is always shown at 238°C. (Note: the specification for commercial Halar product is 240°C. The slightly lower melting temperature reported in this study is probably due to the fact that we are dealing with an experimental melt‐processed material.) On the basis of the heating rate study we propose that Halar crystallizes with stable crystals (Tm2 = 238°C) regardless of the crystallization conditions, i.e., quenching, slow cooling, or even annealing. Crystals of Halar have a heat of fusion of approximately 35 cal/g or 146 kJ/kg. Detailed analysis of the melting behavior of Halar is presented.