PP/claycompositeswithdifferentdispersions,namely,exfoliateddispersion,intercalateddispersionandagglomeratesandpanicle-likedispersion,werepreparedbydirectmeltintercalationorcompounding.TheeffectofclaydispersiononthecrystallizationandmorphologyofPPwasinvestigatedviaPLM,SAXSandDSC.Experimentalresultsshowthatexfoliatedclaylayersaremuchmoreefficientthanintercalatedclayandagglomeratesofclayinservingasnucleationagentduetothenano-scaledispersionofclay,resultinginadramaticdecreaseincrystalsize(lamellarthicknessandspherulites)andanincreaseofcrystallizationtemperatureandcrystallizationrate.Ontheotherhand,adecreaseofmeltingtemperatureandcrystallinitywasalsoobservedinPP/claycompositeswithexfoliateddispersion,duetothestronginteractionbetweenPPandclay.Comparedwithexfoliatedclaylayers,theintercalatedclaylayershavealessimportanteffectonthecrystallizationandcrystalmorphology.Noeffectisseenforsampleswithagglomeratesandpanicle-likedispersion,inregardtomeltingtemperature,crystallizationtemperature,crystalthicknessandcrystallinity.
