The purpose of this review is to provide information on the development of materials and methods for influencing the nucleation of polymer crystallization in commercial processing by means of addition of low levels (generally between about 0.01 and 1 wt) of adjuvants specifically selected for this purpose.

Nucleating agents are added to provide the user with some degree of control over this initiation of crystallization; the addition of a nucleating agent to a polymer melt results, on cooling, in the appearance of a substantial increase in heterogeneous nucleation and thus a reduction in the size of crystalline structures. This report provides current information on a range of potential nucleating agents including organic acid derivatives, sorbitol derivatives, phosphorus-containing species, and inorganics. The appendices provide useful chemical structures and representative examples of commercially available nucleating agents.

This report provides a succinct presentation of the initial and recent developments in the field of nucleating agents, on which future research in this area can be developed. The review is accompanied by around 400 abstracts compiled from the Polymer Library, to facilitate further reading on this subject. A subject index and a company index are included.

About the author
Stuart Fairgrieve entered the field of polymers and plastics with Nairn Floors, Kirkcaldy, working on PVC plastisols. Leaving to attend St. Andrews University, he was awarded an Honours degree in Chemistry, and went on to carry out academic research at the same institution. He obtained a M.Sc. in Polymer Chemistry and subsequently a Ph.D. in Polymer Physics. He entered industrial research with Cookson Group plc, becoming senior researcher in plastics with the central research organisation of this company. In 1996, he set up SPF Polymer Consultants. He is the author of a number of academic papers, and the principal inventor of various current US patents.

CONTENTS

1. Background

2. Introduction

3. Additives
3.1 Inorganics
3.2 Polymers and Oligomers
3.3 Organic Acid Derivatives - Early Developments
3.4 Sorbitol Derivatives and Their Analogues
3.5 Phosphorus-containing Species
3.6 Organic Acid Derivatives - Later Developments
3.7 Miscellaneous
3.8 b-nucleators

4. Conclusion

Additional References

Abbreviations

Appendix I - Selected Structures
Appendix II - Commercially Available Nucleating Agents

References from the Polymer Library Database
Subject Index
Company Index