The synthesis of vaterite and physical properties of PP/CaCO3 composites

Vaterite was synthesized in the emulsion state at 50 ‡C. The mixing method was found to have a significant effect on the shape of vaterite. In order to investigate the effect of CaCO3 morphology on mechanical property and thermal property of polypropylene, cubic forms of calcite and needle forms of aragonite were also prepared in the emulsion states. When vaterite was used as a filler in the PP/CaCO3 composites, the crystallization temperature and crystallinity were higher than those with other forms. In addition, the size of spherullite of polypropylene was the finest when vaterite was used. Therefore, the vaterite is considered as a proper nucleating agent for polypropylene.