Attapulgite Structure Reset to Accelerate the Crystal Transformation of Isotactic Polybutene

Isotactic polybutene (iPB) has a wide application in the water pipe field. However, the most valuable form I, needs 7 days to complete the transformation. In this study, the attapulgite (ATP), which produces lattice matching of the iPB form I, was selected to prepare an iPB/ATP composite. The Fischer–Tropsch wax (FTW) was grafted with maleic anhydride to obtain MAFT, and the ATP structure was reset by reactions with MAFT to the prepared FATP, which improved the interface compatibility of the ATP and iPB. The Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and the water contact angle test confirmed the successful synthesis of FATP. X-ray diffraction (XRD) verified that the graft of MAFT did not affect the crystal structure of ATP. The iPB + 5% FATP had the maximum flexural strength, which was 12.45 Mpa, and the flexural strength of the iPB + 5% FATP annealing for 1 day was much higher than others. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) photographs verified that FATP and iPB had good interface compatibility. The crystal transformation behavior indicated that the iPB + 5% FATP had the fastest crystal transformation rate, which proved that the reset structure, ATP, greatly accelerated the crystal transformation of iPB. This was a detailed study on the effect of lattice matching, interfacial compatibility and internal lubrication of the reset structure, ATP, in the nucleation and growth stages of iPB form I. The result was verified by XRD, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Avrami kinetics and polarizing microscope (POM) analysis.