Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, Vol. 59 (2000) 625–632 STUDY OF THE CRYSTALLIZATION KINETICS Poly(ethylene oxide) and a blend of poly(ethylene oxide) and poly(bisphenol A-co-epichlorohydrin) L. E. Cohen and A. M. Rocco * Departamento de Química Inorgânica, Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro Centro de Tecnologia, Bloco A, Sala 637, Cidade Universitária, 21949-900, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil Abstract A kinetic study of the crystallization of poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) and of a blend of PEO+poly- (bisphenol A-co-epichlorohydrin) (PBE) was performed by using DSC in a non-isothermal program at constant cooling rates. The curves obtained were analyzed by the Kissinger, Ozawa and Friedman methods, with determination of the kinetic parameters in each case. As a consequence of the pres- ence of PBE, the kinetic parameters were altered, leading to the conclusion that PBE has some influ- ence on the crystallization of PEO, modifying its mechanism. Keywords: crystallization, non-isothermal kinetics, poly(ethylene oxide) Introduction The crystallization of low molecular mass poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) has previously been studied by means of optical microscopy [1], isothermal methods in DSC [2–4], DSC with tri-block copolymers [5] and temperature-modulated calorimetry [6]. Studies on the crystallization of high molecular mass PEO have also been performed by using atomic force microscopy [7]. In the present work, the crystallization of high molecular mass PEO is studied by using non-isothermal DSC measurements at constant cooling rates, and the effect of blending with poly(bisphenol A-co-epichlorohydrin) (PBE) is investigated. Among various methods suggested in the literature [8], we chose to apply the one peak maxi- mum evolution method (Kissinger method) and two isoconversional methods (Ozawa and Friedman methods). Kissinger method Kissinger [9] derives an expression (1) which makes it possible to calculate the acti- vation energy of a process by analyzing DSC or DTA curves obtained at a number of heating or cooling rates, regardless of the reaction order: 1418–2874/2000/ $ 5.00 © 2000 Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest Akadémiai Kiadó, Budapest Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht * Author for correspondence: e-mail: amrocco@iq.ufrj.br