Compatibilization of thermosetting‐thermoplastic polymer blends

Abstract

AbstractPolymer blends of thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers were developed by properly mixing them in the presence of compatibilizers. Two compatibilizers that are structurally and chemically similar to thermosetting and thermoplastic polymers and a compatibilizer that does not have such similarity were synthesized. Polymer blends of phenol formaldehydepoly(methyl methacrylate) and phenol formaldehyde‐polystyrene were prepared by using the compatibilizers, poly(phenol formal dehyde‐s‐triazine‐methyl methacrylate), P(PF‐g‐MMA), poly(phenol formaldehyde‐s‐triazine‐styrene), P(PF‐g‐S), and poly (cinnamaldehyde‐co‐oxy propylene oxy isophthaloyl‐cooxy propylene oxy fumaroyl), P(C‐g‐E). The effects of molecular weight and quantity of the copolymer on the compatibility of the polymer were examined. The optimum compatibility which leads to superior tensile properties of the present blends was observed with P(PF‐g‐MMA) and P(PF‐g‐S) copolymers. The superior properties were also found to occur only in the range of the optimum molecular weight and quantity of the copolymer present in the blend. The polymer blends were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and Electron Microscopy. DSC scans of P(PF‐g‐MMA) and P(PF‐g‐S) copolymer blends showed a single Tg whereas the scans of P(Cg‐E) copolymer blends showed an additional Tg for unblended thermoplastic fractions. The electron microscopy studies also revealed good compatibility in P(PF‐g‐MMA) and P(PF‐g‐S) copolymer blends in which the unblended thermoplastic fractions are negligibly less. The UV‐vacuum and heat resistance of the P(PF‐g‐MMA) and P(PF‐g‐S) copolymer blends were found to be good.