Abstract
A few carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and 1,2,3,4-bis(3,4-dimethylbenzylidene sorbitol (DMDBS) were incorporated into polypropylene/ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (PP/EPDM) (85/15, wt/wt) blends. It was found that DMDBS exhibited excellent nucleation effect on the crystallization of PP matrix, while its nucleation effect was weakened to a certain extent in the samples containing CNTs. Slightly changed localization state of CNTs from EPDM component to the blend interface was induced by DMDBS. Mechanical property measurements showed that compared with the low impact strength of the binary PP/EPDM (13.5 kJ/m2), greatly enhanced impact strength (51.2 kJ/m2) was achieved for the sample containing 1 wt% CNTs and 0.2 wt% DMDBS, which was also different from the slight enhancement of impact strength induced by adding only CNTs (18.8 kJ/m2) or DMDBS (16.3 kJ/m2). The synergistic toughening mechanisms of CNTs and DMDBS are attributed to the much reduced PP spherulites and the bridging effect of CNTs at the blend interface, which both facilitate the stress transferring from EPDM particles to PP matrix.
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