Jamming carbonaceous nanofiller in the continuous phase and at the blend interface for phenomenal improvement in the overall physico-mechanical properties of compatibilized thermoplastic elastomer

Abstract

Reduced graphene oxide (RGO) nanosheets have been selectively jammed in the continuous polypropylene (PP) phase and at the blend interface of random terpolymer of ethylene, acrylic ester and maleic anhydride (EAMAT) compatibilized PP and epichlorohydrin rubber (ECH) based thermoplastic elastomer (TPE). The presumptions from the contact angle studies regarding the preferential localization of RGO in the continuous PP phase and at the blend interface of compatibilized PP/ECH/EAMAT/RGO TPE nanocomposite have been analyzed via field emission scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The presence of RGO in the continuous PP phase and at the blend interface results in a phenomenal improvement in the mechanical, rheological and viscoelastic properties of the compatibilized PP/ECH/EAMAT/RGO TPE nanocomposites. X-ray diffraction studies of the strained compatibilized PP/ECH/EAMAT/RGO TPE nanocomposite testify that, during straining, the RGO nanosheets help the PP chains to orient and consequently there is a prominent improvement in the overall physico-mechanical properties.