Crystallization and thermal behaviour of isotactic poly (1-butene) and hydrogenated oligo(cyclopentadiene).

The crystallization and thermal behaviour of thin films of isotactic poly ( 1-butene )/hydrogenated oligo (cyclopentadiene) (PB-1/HOCP) mixtures are studied using differential scanning calorimetry and optical microscopy. The mixtures show a single glass transition temperature, whose value is dependent on composition. The overall crystallization rate, the spherulite growth rate and the equilibrium melting temperature of PB-1 decrease on the addition of HOCP. The melting point depression is analysed according to the Flory-Huggins theory and a negative interaction parameter is obtained. This leads to the hypothesis that PB-1 and HOCP are miscible in the melt even if some specific interactions and morphological effects are evident between the two components