Progress in Understanding of Polymer Crystallization

In the context of polymer crystallization there are several still open and often controversially debated questions. The present volume addresses issues such as novel general views and concepts which help to advance our understanding of polymer crystallisation, nucleation phenomena, long living melt structures affecting crystallization, confinement effects on crystallization, crystallization in flowing melts, fluid mobility restrictions caused by crystallites, the role of mesophases in the crystal formation and presents new ideas in a connected and accessible way. The intention is thus not only to provide a summary of the present state of the art to all active works but to provide an entry point to newcomer and graduate students entering the field.

Table of contents
1. Shifting Paradigms in Polymer Crystallization.-2. Theoretical aspects of the Equilibrium State of Chain Crystals.-3. Intramolecular Crystal Nucleation.-4. Kinetic Theory of Crystal Nucleation Under Transient Molecular Orientation.-5. Precursor of Primary Nucleation in Isotactic Polystyrene Induced by Shear Flow.-6. Structure Formation and Glass Transition in Oriented Poly(ethylene terephthalate).-7. How Do Orientation Fluctuations Evolve to Crystals?.-8. Role of Chain Entanglement Network on Formation of Flow-Induced Crystallization Precursor Structure.-9. Full Dissolution and Crystallization of Polyamide 6 and Polyamide 4.6 in Water and Ethanol.-10. Small Angle Scattering Study of Polyethylene Crystallization from Solutions.-11. Morphologies of Polymer Crystals in Thin Films.-12. Crystallization of Frustrated Alkyl Groups in Polymeric Systems Containing Octadecylmethacrylate.-13. Crystallization in Block Copolymers with More than one Crystallizable Block.-14. Monte Carlo Simulations of Semicrystalline Polyethylene:Interlamellar Domain and Crystal-Melt Interfcace.-15. The Role of the Interphase on the Chain Mobility and Melting of Semi-Crystalline Polymers; a Study on Polyethylenes.-16. Polymer Crystallization under High Cooling Rate and Pressure: a Step Towards Polymer Processing Conditions.-17. Stress-Induced Phase Transitions in Metallocene-Made Isotactic Polypropylene.-18. Insights into Polymer Crystallization from In-Situ Atomic Force Microscopy.-19. Temperature and Molecular Weight Deppendencies of Polymer Crystallization.-20. Step-Scan Alternating Differential Scanning Calorimetry Studies on the Crystallisation Behaviour of Low Molecular Weight Polyethylene.-21.Order and Segmental Mobility in Crystallizing Polymers.-22. Atomistic Simulation of Polymer Melt Crystallization by Molecular Dynamics.-23. A Multiphase Model Describing Polymer Crystallization and Melting.