Light element-based materials like spherical carbon nitride (C 3 N 4 ) particles were melt-mixed at different concentrations with isotactic polypropylene to produce new nanocomposites. The iPP/C 3 N 4 nanocomposites were characterized with differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), time-resolved synchrotron X-ray scattering experiments and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). On the basis of the DSC experimental and theoretical analyses, the study of the dynamic crystallization kinetics provides a

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... icture describing the physicochemical transformation of iPP molecules from the non-ordered state to the ordered state. The addition of C 3 N 4 induces an increase of the crystallization rate and crystallinity of the polymer matrix, without variation of the crystalline structure of iPP. In the same way, the results of the nucleation activity confirmed the nucleating effect of C 3 N 4 on the iPP crystallization. However, the addition of C 3 N 4 causes an alteration of the effective energy barrier of the crystal growth process of iPP. The DMA studies revealed the reinforcing effect of the C 3 N 4 on the mechanical performance of iPP with an increase in the storage modulus of around 32 %. Moreover, the heat deflection temperature of iPP increased considerably, whereas the damping property was found to decrease because the C 3 N 4 acted as barriers to the free movement of the iPP macromolecular chain.