Effect of fillers and plasticizers on the performance of novel heat and oil-resistant thermoplastic elastomers from nylon-6 and acrylate rubber blends

Abstract

The effects of various fillers (SRF black, silica, and clay) and plasticizers (dibutyl phthalate and dioctyl phthalate) on the mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and rheological properties and on the heat and oil resistance of the thermoplastic elastomeric reactive blends of nylon-6 and acrylate rubber (ACM) were investigated. The mixing torque behavior of the blends in Brabender Plasticorder shows reduced extent of interaction between the two component polymers in the presence of both fillers and plasticizers. Silica-filled blends show the highest viscosity increment due to the possibility of reaction between its surface silanol groups and the reactive epoxy groups present in the ACM chain during melt-blending operation. Though the addition of fillers reduces the processability of the blends, it improves the extensibility as well as the tension set properties of the blends. The mechanical integrity and the damping characteristics of the blends are also improved with the addition of fillers; the latter is evidenced from the dynamic mechanical thermal analysis of the blends. The tensile strength and hardness of the filled blends remain practically unchanged after ageing at 175°C for 72 h and, also, the oil swell does not change appreciably with the addition of fillers. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 74: 1490–1501, 1999