Biocompatible and biodegradable block copolymers (BBCPs) containing crystalline blocks become increasingly important in polymer science, and have great potential applications in polymer materials. Crystallization in polymers is accompanied by the adoption of an extended conformation, or often by chain folding. It is important to distinguish between crystallization in homopolymers and in block c...

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the concept of preferential crystallization, with a focus on aspects of quantification and application from an engineering point of view. The amino acid threonine was used as a model system in the experiments performed. Application of on-line polarimetry in combination with measurements of an on-line density meter proved the general applicability of t...

We report a real-time study on protein crystallization in the presence of multivalent salts using small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and optical microscopy, focusing particularly on the nucleation mechanism as well as on the role of the metastable intermediate phase (MIP). Using bovine beta-lactoglobulin as a model system in the presence of the divalent salt CdCl2, we have monitored the early ...

We employ dielectric spectroscopy to monitor the relaxation dynamics and crystallization kinetics of the Biclotymol antiseptic in its amorphous phase. The glass transition temperature of the material as determined by dielectric spectroscopy is Tg = 290 ± 1K. The primary (α) relaxation dynamics is observed to follow a Vogel-Fulcher-Tammann temperature dependence, with a kinetic fragility index m...

An experimental configuration that combines the powerful capabilities of a short-term shearing apparatus with simultaneous optical and X-ray scattering techniques is demonstrated, connecting the earliest events that occur during shear-induced crystallization of a polymer melt with the subsequent kinetics and morphology development. Oriented precursors are at the heart of the great effects that ...

To explore the kinetics and morphology of flow induced crystallization of polymers, a nucleation-growth evolution model for spherulites and shish-kebabs is built based on Schneider rate model and Eder model. The model considers that the spherulites are thermally induced, growing like spheres, while the shish-kebabs are flow induced, growing like cylinders, with the first normal stress differenc...

Phase-change random-access memory (PCRAM) is one of the leading candidates for next-generation data-storage devices, but the trade-off between crystallization (writing) speed and amorphous-phase stability (data retention) presents a key challenge. We control the crystallization kinetics of a phase-change material by applying a constant low voltage via prestructural ordering (incubation) effects...

The cysteine residues of the gamma crystallins, a family of ocular lens proteins, are involved in the aggregation and phase separation of these proteins. Both these phenomena are implicated in cataract formation. We have used bovine gammaB crystallin as a model system to study the role of the individual cysteine residues in the aggregation and phase separation of the gamma crystallins. Here, we...

In this work, a series of polypropylene/polyvinyl butyral (PP/PVB) blends were prepared by melt-blending process, at PVB loadings 3 wt%, 10 wt%, and 30 wt%. The effects of PVB on crystallization behavior of PP were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and polarized optical microscopy (POM). The isothermal crystallization kinetics were analyzed by Avrami equations. It was fou...

high pressures also requires special equipment. In summary, both RESS crystallization and SAS crystallization appear to be promising methods for generating supersaturation and therefore represent alternatives to conventional crystallization. Such alternatives may prove attractive in applications such as polymer and pharmaceutical processing, or in particle design for drug delivery. It is possib...