1. What is Percent Crystallinity?

Definition: Crystallinity percentage measures the fraction of crystalline material in a semi-crystalline substance.

Purpose: It helps materials scientists and engineers quantify the degree of crystallinity in polymers and other materials.

2. How Does the Calculator Work?

The calculator uses the formula:

Where:

• \( \%C \) — Crystallinity percentage
• \( m_c \) — Mass of crystalline phase (kg)
• \( m_t \) — Total mass of the sample (kg)

Explanation: The mass of crystalline material is divided by the total mass and multiplied by 100 to get the percentage.

3. Importance of Crystallinity Measurement

Details: Crystallinity affects material properties like strength, transparency, and thermal resistance.

4. Using the Calculator

Tips: Enter the mass of crystalline material and total sample mass in kg. Both values must be > 0 and crystal mass ≤ total mass.

5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: What's a typical crystallinity range for polymers?
A: Most semi-crystalline polymers range from 10% to 80% crystallinity depending on material and processing.

Q2: How is crystal mass determined experimentally?
A: Common methods include DSC (Differential Scanning Calorimetry) or XRD (X-ray Diffraction).

Q3: Why does crystallinity matter?
A: Higher crystallinity typically increases strength and chemical resistance but reduces flexibility.

Q4: Can crystallinity be 100%?
A: Perfect 100% crystallinity is rare in polymers due to amorphous regions between crystallites.

Q5: How does processing affect crystallinity?
A: Cooling rate, annealing, and mechanical stretching can significantly impact crystallinity.