# Fundamental Studies of Shear Alignment and Crystallization of Molten Polymers

> **NSF 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT** · Pennsylvania State Univ University Park (PA) · $541,324

## Abstract

NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY: 
When polymers crystallize, only about half of the material is crystalline, with amorphous material in between crystals that gets trapped and cannot crystallize.  Applying a flow to the molten polymer stretches long chains and enables the polymer to nucleate many crystals rapidly, resulting in a finer scale structure with superior mechanical properties.  With small enough crystals, each long polymer chain can span many crystals, with connections between crystals referred to as tie chains.  Stronger flows stretch more polymer chains and create more tie chains for superior toughness.  This study aims to understand the details regarding the control of structure and mechanical properties of semicrystalline polymers by applying flows of various strengths prior to crystallization.  If successful, the fundamental knowledge generated from this research will result in the understanding needed to be able to design polymeric materials for a variety of applications, including injection molding.  This new knowledge will be used by the US Plastics industry in advanced manufacturing.

TECHNICAL SUMMARY:  
Brief intervals of shear flow can strongly accelerate nucleation of semicrystalline polymers, and this drastically changes the final morphology and mechanical properties.  Above a critical shear rate needed to stretch the longest chains, shear thinning starts and smaller anisotropic crystals are formed by accelerating nucleation.  A fundamental study of flow-induced crystallization (FIC) is proposed using binary blends of monodisperse poly(ethylene oxide)s, as these blends enable precise control of the number of chains the get stretched in shear flow (the fraction of long chains).  There will in fact be a wide range of shear rates where all long chains stretch and none of the short chains stretch.  We will verify this idea using flow birefringence and determine the consequences of stretching more chains (by increasing the long chain content in the blend

## Key facts

- **NSF award ID:** 2603751
- **Awardee organization:** Pennsylvania State Univ University Park (PA)
- **SAM.gov UEI:** NPM2J7MSCF61
- **PI:** Ralph H Colby
- **Primary program:** 01002627DB NSF RESEARCH & RELATED ACTIVIT
- **All programs:** Advanced Manufacturing
- **Estimated total:** $541,324
- **Funds obligated:** $541,324
- **Transaction type:** Standard Grant
- **Period:** 08/01/2026 → 07/31/2029

## Primary source

NSF Award Search: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=2603751

## Citation

> US National Science Foundation, Award 2603751, Fundamental Studies of Shear Alignment and Crystallization of Molten Polymers. Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-07-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nsf/2603751. Licensed CC0.

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