Miscibility of nylon 6 with poly(maleic anhydride-co-vinyl acetate) and hydroxylated poly(maleic anhydride-co-vinyl acetate) blends

Abstract

Abstract The miscibility of blends of nylon 6 with poly(maleic anhydride- co -vinyl acetate) (poly(MAH- co -VAc)), or hydroxylated poly(maleic anhydride- co -vinyl acetate) (poly(MAH- co -VAc)H) was investigated by means of Fourier transform infra-red ( FT i.r.) spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry (d.s.c.), and X-ray diffraction. Poly(MAH- co -VAc) was prepared by radical copolymerization and the copolymers were hydrolysed to form poly(MAH- co -VAc)H at reflux temperature in H 2 O. Poly(MAH- co -VAc) and poly(MAH- co -VAc)H were characterized by FT i.r. and 1 H-n.m.r. spectroscopy. On the basis of optical clarity, glass transition temperature ( T g ), FT i.r. spectra, and X-ray diffraction, it was found that the nylon 6/poly(MAH- co -VAc) blends showed immiscible behaviour over the entire blend concentration but the poly(MAH- co -VAc)H showed miscibility with nylon 6 over blend concentrations above 75 wt% of poly(MAH- co -VAc)H. The FT i.r. results showed that strong specific interactions between the carboxylic acid group of poly(MAH- co -VAc)H and the amide group of nylon 6 are responsible for the miscibility.