ABSTRACT:Simple blends with different viscosity ratios of the components as well as compatibilized blends varying both in type and content of compatibilizers were used to study the relation between interfacial tension and dispersedphase particle size for PP/EPDM (80/20 wt %) blends in this work. Four compatibilizing systems, poly(ethylene-comethacrylic acid) ionomers (EMA-I), dicumyl peroxide (DCP), DCP combined with EMA-I, and DCP in combination with trimethylol propane triacrylate (TMPTMA), were used. For blends prepared in an internal mixer, a power law relation was found between capillary number and torque ratio of the blends' components. This relation was used to estimate the interfacial tension for the compatibilized blends. The relation between steady-state torque of the blends as a measure of viscosity and the estimated values of interfacial tension were also investigated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3148 -3159, 2002

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A series of polypropylene (PP) nanocomposites containing 2, 4, and 6 wt % of an organophilic montmorillonite clay was prepared via direct melt mixing in the presence of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) as compatibilizing agent. Microstructure characterization was performed by X-ray diffraction analysis. Nanocomposites exhibited a 15 and 22% enhancement in tensile modulus and impact strength, respectively. The heat deflection temperature of PP nanocomposites was 36 C greater than for pure PP. Thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposites were compared to properties of traditional PP-talc and PP-glass fiber composites. The results showed that the properties of nanocomposites improved compared to ordinary polypropylene composites.

ABSTRACT:Simple blends with different viscosity ratios of the components as well as compatibilized blends varying both in type and content of the compatibilizers were used to study the relation between the interfacial tension and the dispersed-phase particle size for PP/PA6 (80/20 wt %) blends in this work. Four compatibilizing systems including poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid) ionomers, a maleic anhydride-grafted propylene copolymer, maleic anhydridegrafted polypropylene, and a maleic anhydride-grafted styrene ethylene butylene copolymer were used. For blends prepared in an internal mixer, a power-law relation was found between the capillary number and the torque ratio of the blends' components. This relation was used to estimate the interfacial tension for the compatibilized blends. The relation between the steady-state torque of the blends as a measure of viscosity and the estimated values of interfacial tension were also investigated.