The effects of maleic anhydride-grafted styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene copolymer (SEBS-g-MAH) on the mechanical and morphological properties of polypropylene (PP) and poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) blends were investigated. Based on mechanical properties, including impact and tensile strengths, the PP/ABS (70/30) blends containing SEBS-g-MAH showed improved impact strength with minimal loss of tensile strength. As determined from morphological studies of the PP/ABS blends, addition of SEBS-g-MAH decreased PP/ABS blend droplet size more than the addition of SEBS. Additionally, the effects of SEBS-g-MAH and SEBS on the mechanical and morphological properties of the PP/ABS (70/30) blends were investigated during accelerated aging in an oven at 90 C for 72 h (one cycle). The impact strength of the PP/ABS (70/30) blends with SEBS-g-MAH (7 phr) decreased less than 10% after five cycles, but blends with SEBS (7 phr) and blends without compatibilizer decreased as much as 37%. The tensile strengths of the PP/ABS (70/30) blends after accelerated aging indicated a trend similar to that of the impact strength. The morphological studies indicated no significant changes in the PP/ABS (70/30) blends with SEBS-g-MAH; however, many cavities and damages were observed in the blend with SEBS. The above results suggest that SEBS-g-MAH acts as an impact modifier and as a good compatibilizer in the PP/ABS (70/30) blends.
The effects of compatibilizers and hydrolysis on the mechanical, morphological and rheological properties of polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-propylene-diene monomer rubber (EPDM)/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) blends were studied. The compatibilizers used were polypropylene-g-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) and styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene-g-maleic anhydride (SEBS-g-MAH) copolymers. Before hydrolysis, mixing the compatibilizers PP-g-MAH (5 phr) and SEBS-g-MAH (5 phr) effectively increased the impact strength of PP/EPDM/PLA (64/16/20) blends without any loss of tensile strength. This result is consistent with the morphological and rheological properties of the PP/EPDM/PLA blends. After hydrolysis, the tensile strength of the PP/EPDM/PLA blends for the PLArich compositions decreased sharply until the hydrolysis time was 3 days. This suggests that the mechanical strength of the PLA already lost its mechanical properties, mostly when the hydrolysis time was 3 days under such hydrolysis conditions. The increase in viscosity and decrease in interfacial tension of the compatibilized PP/EPDM/PLA (64/ 16/20) blends was interpreted with the qualitative picture of the Palierne emulsion model. The interfacial tension calculated from the emulsion model is consistent with the mechanical and morphological properties of the PP/ EPDM/PLA (64/16/20) blends.
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