Thermal Transitions of the Drawn Film of a Nylon 6/Layered Silicate Nanocomposite

The thermal transitions of a nylon 6/layered silicate nanocomposite were studied by differential scanning calorimetry and in-situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction. The drawn film of the nylon 6/layered silicate nanocomposite typically showed three endotherms in the DSC thermogram; a very broad endotherm at $\sim120^{\circ}C(T_{1})$, a double-melting endotherm at $\sim215^{\circ}C(T_{2})$, and a high temperature endotherm at $\sim240^{\circ}C(T_{3})$. The drawn film of the nylon 6/ layered silicate nanocomposite was comprised of a mixture of the $\alpha and \gamma$ forms, with $the \alpha form$ being generated by drawing the pressed film having $the \gamma form$. The melting and crystallization of the crystals were observed at the above thermal transitions during the heating experiment performed at the Pohang X-ray synchrotron radiation source (4C2). The newly generated form was meta-stable and melted $at {\sim}T_{1}$. The double-melting $at {\sim}T_{2}$ was due to the exothermic crystallization of $the \alpha form$ during the main endothermic melting of $the \gamma form$. $The \alpha form$ crystallized $at {\sim}T_{2}$ and melted $at {\sim}T_{3}$.