Carbon Nanotube Nucleated Polymer Crystallization K. P. Ryan, M. Cadek, A. Drury, M. Ruether, W. J. Blau, and J. N. Coleman Department of Physics, Materials Ireland Polymer Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland Abstract: Crystallinity studies were performed on carbon nanotube-doped Poly(m- phenylenevinylene-co-2,5-dioctyloxy-p-phenylenevinylene) (PmPV) and Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVOH). Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) of the composites verified that carbon nanotubes nucleate polymer crystallization. Keywords: Carbon nanotubes, PmPV, PVOH, DSC, crystallization INTRODUCTION Polymer-nanotube composites exhibiting impressive mechanical (1) and elec- trical properties are under serious investigation. In many cases composite formation is accompanied by an alteration of the host polymers crystallization dynamics. This can result in the formation of a crystalline polymer layer around the embedded nanotubes. The goal of this work is detection and characterization of this layer. EXPERIMENTAL PmPV powder was dissolved in toluene at 20 g/l by 30 min bath-sonication (70 W) while PVOH powder was dissolved in water at 30 g/l with a 3-hr Address correspondence to J. N. Coleman, Department of Physics, Materials Ireland Polymer Research Centre, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. E-mail: jncoleman@tcd.ie Fullerenes, Nanotubes, and Carbon Nanostructures, 13: 431–434, 2005 Copyright # Taylor & Francis, Inc. ISSN 1536-383X print/1536-4046 online DOI: 10.1081/FST-200039426