Structure and characterization of poly[(vinylidene fluoride)-co- hexafluoropropene]-(dibutyl phtalate) blends

Blends of poly[(vinylidene fluoride)-co-hexafluoropropene] with dibutyl phthalate were examined by wide- and small-angle X-ray scattering, differential scanning calorimetry and dynamic mechanical spectroscopy, in order to study the influence of amount of plasticizer and the crystallization rate on the crystallinity and lamellar morphology of the copolymer. The dibutyl phthalate seems, at least for the cooling and heating rates used, simply to dilute the crystalline phase without affecting the amount of polymer that is able to crystallize. Furthermore, the small-angle X-ray scattering technique points out that the plasticizer mostly enters the amorphous phase either outside or inside the lamellar stacks.