Miscibility and crystallization behavior of biodegradable poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene carbonate) and tannic acid blends

Biodegradable poly(butylene succinate-co-butylene carbonate) (PBSC) and tannic acid (TA) blends were prepared via a solution and casting method in this work. Miscibility and crystallization behavior of PBSC/TA blends were investigated with various techniques. PBSC is miscible with TA as evidenced by both a single composition dependent glass transition temperature and the depression of equilibrium melting point of PBSC in the blends. Relative to neat PBSC, blending with TA does not modify the crystal structure of PBSC in the blends. The nonisothermal melt crystallization of PBSC was retarded by TA in the blends. Both the overall isothermal melt crystallization rates and spherulitic growth rates of PBSC/TA blends show the similar variation trends, which become slower with increasing crystallization temperature and the TA composition. The crystallization mechanism of PBSC does not change, regardless of crystallization temperature and the TA composition in the blends. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.