Poly(ethylene oxide) blends with poly(ethylene oxide)/poly(dicyclohexyl itaconate) block copolymers

Blends of poly(ethylene oxide) and block copolymers poly(ethylene oxide)-block-poly(dicyclohexyl itaconate)s (PEO-b-PDCHI) with different molecular masses were prepared by solution casting from chloroform. Thermal properties and kinetics of nonisothermal melting and crystallization were studied using differential scanning calorimetry. The lamella thickness (average size of the crystals), the transport energy through the phase boundary and the surface free energy were determined and compared to those for pure PEO. Morphology of the blends was observed by optical microscopy. An attempt to explain the influence of the block copolymers on the crystallization process was also made.