The crystallization and morphology of poly(ethylene 2

6-naphthalate) (PEN) containing soium benzoate (SB) were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC)

polarized optical microscopy (POM) and small angle light scattering (SALS)．It was revealed that SB may act as a chemical nucleating agent of PEN．It can decrease the surface free energy barrier toward nucleation and accelerate the crystallization rate of PEN at high temperature．Meanwhile

SB can improve the mobility of PEN chain

so the crystallization rate of PEN can also be increased at low temperature．The size of hedrites and spherulites

corresponding to the crystal morphology of PEN samples crystallized at high or low temperature

respectivdy

is reduced in the presence of SB．It is indicated that the nucleation rate of PEN is enhanced by SB．Furthermore

the obtained PEN spherulites become less perfect with the addition of SB.