The present work investigated the confined crystallization behavior of a low molecular weight and monodisperse polyethylene oxide (PEO) in anodic alumina oxide (AAO) with various pore diameters. Transition from heterogeneous to homogeneous nucleation was identified for PEO crystallization confined in AAO pores. When the pore diameter of AAO was larger than the contour length of PEO chains, the �kinetics selective growth� crystallization mechanism was confirmed based on the observation that the chain axis preferentially aligned perpendicular to the pore axis. However, as the pore diameter of AAO was smaller than the contour length of PEO chains, unique orientation with chain axis aligned parallel to the pore axis was, for the first time, observed. The result was interpreted based the competition of thermodynamics and kinetics.

Nano-confined crystallization of polymer: from kinetics control to thermodynamics priority

245th National Meeting (2013)

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