Rheological properties and crystallization behavior of yttrium oxide filled low ethylene content polypropylene copolymer

The rheological properties and crystallization characteristics of low ethylene content poly propylene (EPM) with and without Yittrium oxide (Y2O3) as a filler was investigated by cone-plate viscometer and differential scanning calorimetry. Yittrium oxide had a profound effect on the viscosities of the systems. To determine the nonisothermal crystallization rate of the materials, a new estimation method was used. From the results, we can conclude that Y2O3 acts as a nucleating agent, which increased the crystallization rate of the EPM. (C) 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.