Rheology, morphology and mechanical properties of compatibilized poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) blends

Abstract

Compatibilized blends of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) and thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) were developed using maleated PVDF (PVDF-g-MA). Excellent compatibilization between PVDF and TPU was demonstrated by rheological, morphological, and mechanical measurements. The introduction of PVDF-g-MA into the PVDF/TPU blends caused an increase in viscosity and storage modulus. Much finer morphologiy was clearly observed by SEM. The tensile tests showed that the tensile strength and ultimate elongation achieved a significant improvement with addition of PVDF-g-MA.