The influence of processing aids on the properties of poly (arylene sulfide sulfone)

Abstract

Zinc acetate (ZnAc) and diphenyl sulfone were used as melt stabilizer and plasticizer to improve the stability and flowability of poly (arylene sulfide sulfone) (PASS) during the melt processing. The effects of these processing aids on rheological, mechanical, dynamic mechanical, and thermal properties of PASS and their compatibility with the polymer matrix were investigated. Both capillary rheometer and parallel plate rheometer measurements showed that the processing aids could significantly improve stability and mobility of PASS melts, especially the compounding aid. Dynamic mechanical analysis and tensile test indicated that diphenyl suflone increased the stiffness of pure PASS at lower temperature ( T < Tg) and showed effectual plasticizing effects at higher temperature ( T > Tg), and ZnAc decreased the stiffness and Tg of pure PASS. The compatibility and thermal performance of PASS with diphenyl sulfone or ZnAc were also discussed.