Melting and crystallization behavior of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) by temperature modulated calorimetry

Temperature-modulated differential scanning calorimetry (TMDSC) in the quasi-isothermal mode is applied to investigate melting and crystallization of poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (PTFE) obtained from aqueous dispersion, both melt-crystallized and native (as-polymerized). The differences, shown in the past between the melting behavior of melt-crystallized and native PTFE, have been confirmed and further evidenced through this technique. A large reversing heat capacity is present in the melting and crystallization regions. As proposed by many authors, the presence of the reversing heat capacity can be related to surface melting and crystallization. It can occur on the growth and/or fold surfaces and it has been shown that it is larger for those macromolecules having higher chain mobility that allows rearrangements on the crystal surface. In the present case, the large observed reversing heat capacity can be related to the very high sliding ability of PTFE chains in the pseudohexagonal phase, which is much larger than that of most semicrystalline polymers. Due to the crystal–crystal transition at 30 °C, which can be described as a fusion in the longitudinal direction, melting of PTFE can be considered intermediate between the irreversible melting of macromolecules and the completely reversible isotropization of liquid crystalline polymers.