Polypropylene(PP)microporous membranes were prepared with the composite diluents of soybean oil and di-n-butyl.phthalate(DBP) via thermally induced phase separation(TIPS).The effects of nano-CaCO3 nucleating agent and nano—CaCO3/pimelic acid bicomponent nucleating agent on the crystalline morphology and mehing behaviom of the PP/soybean oil/DBP system
and on the microstructure of PP membrane were investigated.The experimental results showed that with addition of 0%~4% single nano-CaCO3 nucleating agent the peak temperature of melting curve of PP in PP/soybean oil/DBP system varied from 150.7 ℃ to 151.3℃
while the peak melting temperature of pure PP is 165℃.The differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)showed that the addition of bicomponent nucleating agent nano-CaCO3(1%-4%)and pimelic acid(0.5%)induced two peaks on the mehing curve.Wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD)measurements proved that PP formed β—phase and α—phase with addition of bicomponnent nucleating agent nano-CaCO3(1%-4%)and pimelic acid(0.5%)
while the addition of single nano-CaCO3 nucleating agent resulted in only PP crystals of α-phase
which was consistent with the results of DSC.The addition of single nano-CaCO3 nucleating agent in PP/soybean oil/DBP system had unremarkable effect on the morphology of PP membrane.While nano-CaCO3/pimelic acid(1%/0.5%)bicomponent nucleating agent was used
the PP microporous membrane showed smaller and regular pores.When the nano-CaCO3/pimelic acid content was 2%/0.5%and 4%/0.5%。PP micmporous membrane showed more tiny irregular sphendites