Effect of Addition of Styrene-Ethylene/Butylene-Styrene and the Type of Mica on the Mechanical Properties of Mica-Filled Polyethylene/Polypropylene Blends

Abstract

The mechanical properties of polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP)/styrene-ethylene/butylene-styrene (SEBS)/mica composites were investigated as a model composition. Four types of mica with different particle sizes and different aspect ratios were used. These composites were extruded by a twin-screw extruder and subsequently injection molded, and their mechanical properties, including their tensile, bending, and impact properties were evaluated. The addition of mica to PE/PP/SEBS effectively improved its mechanical properties; the addition of SEBS as a compatibilizer likewise enhanced the mechanical properties compared with those of PE/PP composites without SEBS. The use of larger average particle size and higher aspect ratio mica, such as M-35, M-27, and P-33, effectively increased the tensile and bending properties of the PE/PP/SEBS/mica composites. The morphologies of the composites with an added mica as observed by scanning electron microscopy, showed good dispersion between the matrix polymer and the mica.

Nanoscale chemical characterization of a post-consumer recycled polyolefin blend using tapping mode AFM-IR

“…19 These include ethylene propylene rubber (EPR), ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM), and styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene (SEBS). [20][21][22] Common methods employed to analyse a polymer's micro-and nano-scale morphologies are scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and fluorescence confocal microscopy. 13,20,23 These methods have some disadvantages such as extra sample prepa-ration steps (chemical etching, staining with heavy metals) in the case of electron microscopy or the need to label with fluorescent molecules in the case of confocal fluorescence microscopy.…”