Effects of polypropylene-g-dibutyl maleate on mechanical and rheological properties of PP/PA6 blends

Abstract

AbstractThe effects of polypropylene-grafted-dibutyl maleate (PP-g-DBM) used as compatibilizer on mechanical, rheological and morphological properties of polypropylene (PP) and nylon 6 (PA6) blends was systematically investigated in this paper. The results of Molau test, solvent extraction and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) indicated the formation of PP-g-PA6 in vicinity of interfaces during melting extrusion. Owing to the reaction between the reactive groups of PPg- DBM and amine (-NH2) end groups of PA6, the tensile and impact strength of the PP-g-DBM compatibilized PP/PA6 blends were much higher than that of the uncompatibilized PP/PA6 blends. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results indicated that the domain sizes of the dispersed phase in the compatibilized PP/PA6 blends decreased and the interfaces become more indistinct, which indicated a clear compatibiliting effect was induced by the PP-g-DBM in the immiscible PP/PA6 blends, i.e. the PP-g-DBM was an effective compatibilizer for the PP/PA6 blends. In addition, the rheological measurements showed the PP-g-DBM compatibilized PP/PA6 blends possessed higher pseudo plasticity, melt viscosity and flow activation energy.