Effect of dynamic crosslinking on impact strength and other mechanical properties of polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber blends

The deformation and fracture behavior of several dynamic vulcanizate blends of isotactic polypropylene with ethylene‐propylene‐diene rubber (EPDM) was examined and compared with those of uncrosslinked blends of PP/EPDM. These blends were prepared by melt mixing in an internal mixer at 190°C in a composition range of 10–40 wt % EPDM rubber. The variation in yield stress, the strength of fibrils of the craze, and the number density of the EPDM rubber domains (morphology fixation) that are dominant factors for enhancing interfacial adhesion and toughness in dynamic vulcanizate blends were evaluated. The ductility and toughness of these materials were explained in light of the composition between crack formation and the degree of plastic deformation through crazing and shear yielding. The physicomechanical properties including the hardness, yield stress, Young's modulus, percentage elongation, impact strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus of dynamic vulcanized blends were found to be consistent and displayed higher values compared with uncrosslinked blends. The nucleation effect of the crosslinked particles and the decrease of crystallinity of the EPDM rubber were also considered to contribute to the improvement in the impact strength. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 2089–2103, 2000     

Highly grafted polystyrene‐modified natural rubber as toughener for polystyrene

A polystyrene‐modified natural rubber (SNR) with 80% degree of grafting was evaluated against natural rubber (NR) in their blends with polystyrene (PS). The rubber loading of the PS‐SNR and PS‐NR blends was varied from 5 to 20% by volume. At 10–15% rubber loading, the PS‐SNR blends were found to be approximately 8–10% higher in tensile strength and 7–13% higher in Young's modulus than the PS‐NR blends. Over the range of rubber loading investigated, it was also observed that the PS‐SNR blends were 5–42 and 14–36% higher in flexural strength and flexural modulus, respectively. The most pronounced difference between the two blend systems is in their impact strength, where the former is about 55–230% higher than the latter. Relative to the pure PS, the PS‐NR and PS‐SNR blends are approximately 50–250 and 140‐1050% higher, respectively, in impact strength. Morphological observations, which are consistent with the relative tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the two systems, indicate that SNR is more compatible with PS than NR and more homogeneously dispersed in the PS matrix. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 93: 1660–1665, 2004     

Studies on mechanical and morphological behavior of hybrid nanoclay‐reinforced EPDM‐g‐TMEVS/PS blends

A new copolymer of tris(2‐methoxyethoxy) vinylsilane (TMEVS)‐grafted ethylene–propylene–diene elastomer (EPDM‐g‐TMEVS) has been developed by grafting of TMEVS onto EPDM by using dicumylperoxide (DCP) initiator. The linear polystyrene blends (EPDM‐g‐TMEVS/PS) based on EPDM‐g‐TMEVS have been synthesized with varying weight percentages of polystyrene in a twin‐screw extruder. In a similar manner, the dynamically vulcanized and nanoclay‐reinforced polystyrene blends have also been developed using DCP and organically modified montmorillonite clay separately by means of a twin‐screw extruder. The grafting of TMEVS onto EPDM at allylic position present in the third monomer of EPDM has been confirmed by Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy. The effect of silane‐grafted EPDM and concentration of nanoclay on mechanical properties of polystyrene blends has been studied as per ASTM standards. The morphological behavior of these blends has been investigated using scanning electron microscope. It was observed that the incorporation of silane‐grafted EPDM enhanced the impact strength and the percentage elongation of linear‐ and dynamically vulcanized blends. However, the values of tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and hardness of the blends were found to be decreasing with the increase of silane‐grafted EPDM. In the case of nanoclay‐reinforced polystyrene blends, the values of impact strength, tensile strength, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and hardness were increased with an increase in the concentration of nanoclay. XRD studies have been carried out to confirm the formation of nanoclay‐reinforced EPDM‐g‐TMEVS/PS blends. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Blends of plasticized poly(vinyl chloride) and waste flexible poly(vinyl chloride) with waste nitrile rubber powder

Blends of poly(vinyl chloride) (PVC) with varying contents of plasticizer and finely ground powder of waste nitrile rubber rollers were prepared over a wide range of rubber contents through high‐temperature blending. The effects of rubber and plasticizer (dioctyl phthalate) content on the tensile strength, percentage elongation, impact properties, hardness, abrasion resistance, flexural crack resistance, limiting oxygen index (LOI), electrical properties, and breakdown voltage were studied. The percentage elongation, flexural crack resistance, and impact strength of blends increased considerably over those of PVC. The waste rubber had a plasticizing effect. Blends of waste plasticized PVC and waste nitrile rubber showed promising properties. The electrical properties and LOI decreased with increasing rubber and plasticizer content. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 1552–1558, 2004     

Mechanical and Morphological Properties of PP/LLPDE/NR Blends—Effects of Polyoctenamer

In this study, impact-modified polypropylene (PP) ternary blends based on PP/natural rubber (NR)/linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) with ratios of 72/10/18 and 64/20/16 were produced by a twin-screw extruder with polyoctenamer (TOR) as the compatibilizer. The mechanical properties of the blends were determined on injection-molded specimens in tensile, flexural, and impact testing. The impact strength and elongation at break of the blend increased significantly while the flexural modulus and tensile strength decreased slightly with increasing TOR content. The impact strength improved with the increasing TOR due the increase of interfacial adhesion resulting in finer dispersion of the rubbery minor phase in the PP matrix. The improvement in compatibility with the addition of TOR into PP/NR/LLDPE blends is being supported by both scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA).     

Mechanical properties of poly(ether ether ketone)/poly(ether ketone) blends: Use of simple models relating normalized tensile parameters

In this study, mechanical properties such as tensile properties, flexural properties, and Izod impact strength of poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) and poly(ether ketone) (PEK) blends at PEK concentration from 0 to 0.42 volume fraction were studied. The blends of PEEK and PEK of different compositions were prepared by extrusion in a single‐screw extruder. With increase in the PEK concentrations, the tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus increased whereas the tensile modulus and the impact strength decreased. Homogeneous dispersion and adhesion of PEK in PEEK was shown by the morphological studies. Crystallinity of blends influenced the tensile modulus and the impact strength. Using simple models to relate normalized tensile parameters where the data were divided by the crystallinity of the blends and of the PEEK matrix, respectively, supported the experimental results. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Enhancement of PVC/ENR blend properties by poly(methyl acrylate) grafted oil palm empty fruit bunch fiber

Effect of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber and poly(methyl acrylate) grafted OPEFB on several mechanical properties of poly(vinyl chloride)/epoxidized natural rubber (PVC/ENR) blends were studied. The composites were prepared by mixing the fiber and the PVC/ENR blends using HAKEE Rheomixer at the rotor speed of 50 rpm, mixing temperature 150°C, and mixing period of 20 min. The fiber loadings were varied from 0 to 30% and the effect of fiber content in the composites on their ultimate tensile strength (UTS), Young's modulus, elongation at break, flexural modulus, hardness, and impact strength were determined. An increasing trend was observed in the Young's modulus, flexural modulus, and hardness with the addition of grafted and ungrafted fiber to the PVC/ENR blends. However the impact strength, UTS, and elongation at break of the composites were found to decrease with the increase in fiber loading. An increase in elongation at break and UTS and decrease in the flexural and Young's modulus was observed with the addition of PMA‐g‐OPEFB fiber compared to ungrafted fiber. This observation indicates that grafting of PMA onto OPEFB impart some flexibility to the blend. The morphology of cryogenically fractured and tensile fracture surfaces of the composites, examined by a scanning electron microscope shows that the adhesion between the fiber and the matrix is improved upon grafting of the OPEFB fiber. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Phase morphology,thermomechanical, and crystallization behavior of uncompatibilized and PP‐g‐MAH compatibilized polypropylene/polystyrene blends

In this article, we discuss the phase morphology, thermal, mechanical, and crystallization properties of uncompatibilized and compatibilized polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends. It is observed that the Young's modulus increases, but other mechanical properties such as tensile strength, flexural strength, elongation at break, and impact strength decrease by blending PS to PP. The tensile strength and Young's modulus of PP/PS blends were compared with various theoretical models. The thermal stability, melting, and crystallization temperatures and percentage crystallinity of semicrystalline PP in the blends were marginally decreased by the addition of amorphous PS. The presence of maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene (compatibilizer) increases the phase stability of 90/10 and 80/20 blends by preventing the coalescence. Hence, finer and more uniform droplets of PS dispersed phases are observed. The compatibilizer induced some improvement in impact strength for the blends with PP matrix phase, however fluctuations in modulus, strength and ductility were observed with respect to the uncompatibilized blend. The thermal stability was not much affected by the addition of the compatibilizer for the PP rich blends but shows some decrease in the thermal stability of the blends, where PS forms the matrix. On the other hand, the % crystallinity was increased by the addition of compatibilizer, irrespective of the blend concentration. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132, 42100.     

Studies on Polycarbonate and Polydimethylsiloxane Rubber Blends

Polycarbonate (PC) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) rubber blend were made by melt blending using a twin-screw extruder. The blends were characterized by mechanical testing, thermal studies, electrical properties and morphological studies. The notched lzod impact strength increased greatly when the rubber content was 20%. The morphology of PC/PDMS blends showed dispersed rubber particle in the PC matrix. The impact strength, which increased with PDMS rubber concentration, has been analyzed on the basis of the interphase adhesion and crazing mechanisms. Tensile and flexural modulus as well as strength decreased with increase in PDMS rubber content. Predictive models have been used to explain the tensile modulus and strength properties. Incorporation of PDMS decreases the glass transition temperature of PC and facilitates its processing. Scanning electron microscopy has been employed to study the phase structure.     

Effect of crosslinking on polyamide 11/butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer blends

The effect of crosslinking of polyamide 11 and butadiene-acrylonitrile copolymer (nitrile rubber) was studied. The effect of static and dynamic crosslinking on blending are described. Static and dynamic crosslinking do not significantly improve impact strength of low-rubber-content PA11/NBR blends. For blends with dynamic crosslinking and high rubber contents, mechanical properties including impact strength improve. Thermal behavior of crosslinked PA11/NBR blends were studied by DSC and DMA. SEM was used for investigation of the effect of crosslinking on particle size and particle size distribution, phase morphology, and fracture surface morphology. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 64: 1605–1611, 1997     

Toughening of crosslinked polystyrene with liquid rubber

The optimum conditions for preparing poly(styrene‐co‐divinylbenzene) were determined and the variation of the mechanical properties of the networks with the crosslinking density was evaluated. The molecular weight between crosslinks was in the 800–12,000 range. The flexural modulus and flexural strength were 5000 and 110 MPa, respectively, for the more crosslinked materials. When liquid rubber (hydroxyl‐terminated polybutadiene) was incorporated into the glassy matrix, these values dropped to 2500 and 70 MPa, respectively, but the impact resistance increased to 70 J/m. These values were comparable to some commercial grade high impact polystyrene resins. The particle size of the dispersed rubber phase was on the nanometer scale, and attempts to increase its dimensions should provide further improvement in the impact properties. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 2098–2105, 2001     

Mechanical properties of polypropylene/crosslinked rubber blends

Mechanical properties of rubber-modified polymers are not single-valued functions of rubber/matrix type and rubber content, but also vary with processing conditions. The variations in mechanical properties with processing conditions arise mainly from changes in rubber-phase dispersion. In our past work, by lightly crosslinking the rubbers to increase their melt tenacity and strength, we have succeeded in producing fine and consistent dispersions despite diverse processing conditions. In this study, mechanical properties of polypropylene/lightly crosslinked rubber blends are compared with those of polypropylene/uncrosslinked rubber blends. The results indicate that, like dispersion, mechanical properties of polypropylene/crosslinked rubber blends also appear to be consistent and independent of process variables. The influences on mechanical behavior of degree of crosslinking, rubber content, and rubber/matrix type are also discussed.     

TPV及PP-g-MAH对回收PET的改性研究

以马来酸酐接枝聚丙烯(PP-g-MAH)为相容剂,回收聚对苯二甲酸乙二醇酯(rPET)为基体材料,动态硫化热塑性弹性体(TPV)为增韧材料,制备了rPET/TPV/PP-g-MAH共混物。用SEM、DMA及DSC分析了TPV及PP-g-MAH对rPET断面结构、储能模量和结晶性能的影响,并测试了共混物的力学性能。结果表明:加入9.95%TPV后,rPET/TPV共混物的熔融温度下降了2.33℃,结晶温度提高了2.82℃,断裂伸长率及缺口冲击强度明显提高,弯曲强度和拉伸强度略有下降;加入PP-g-MAH后,TPV球状粒子嵌入rPET基体材料中,共混物的相容性提高,储能模量明显增大,刚性增强,弯曲强度和拉伸强度有所提高;与纯rPET相比,含1.8%PP-g-MAH的rPET/TPV/PP-g-MAH共混物的断裂伸长率提高了129.06%,缺口冲击强度提高了47.02%。     

Ionic elastomer blends of zinc salts of maleated natural rubber and carboxylated nitrile rubber: Effect of grafted maleic anhydride

Zinc neutralized maleated natural rubbers (Zn‐MNR) were prepared by solution grafting and neutralization with zinc acetate in one‐step. It was later used for blending with carboxylated nitrile rubber (XNBR) in the composition of 50/50 parts by weight. The effect of grafted anhydride content (1.2, 1.6, 2.0, and 2.5% wt of NR) on the tensile properties of ionic rubber blends (Zn‐MNR/XNBR) was investigated. The tensile strength of the ionic blends was found to be greater than those of pure rubbers. The modulus, tensile, and tear strength of the blends dramatically increased with increasing levels of grafted anhydride. The ionic rubber blends also possessed superior physical properties compared to those of the corresponding nonionic rubber blends (MNR/XNBR). Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis and scanning electron microscopic studies were performed to verify the process of mixing. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopic studies were carried out to characterize the nature of specific intermolecular interactions between Zn‐MNR and XNBR chain segments. The results indicated that the ion‐ion (Zn⁺ ‐COO^?) interactions between Zn‐MNR and XNBR are formed at the interface, which provides the mean of compatibilization in the ionic rubber blends. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Toughening modification of PS with n‐BA/MMA/styrene core–shell structured copolymer from emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization

Core–shell structured particles, which comprise the rubbery core and glassy layers, were prepared by emulsifier‐free emulsion polymerization of poly(n‐butyl acrylate/methyl methacrylate)/polystyrene [P(n‐BA/MMA)/PS]. The particle diameter was about 0.22 μm, and the rubbery core was uncrosslinked and lightly crosslinked, respectively. The smaller core–shell structured particle–toughened PS blends were investigated in detail. The dynamic mechanical behavior and observation by scanning electron microscopy of the modified blend system with core–shell structured particles indicated good compatibility between PS and the particles, which is the necessary qualification for an effective toughening modifier. Notched‐impact strength and related mechanical properties were measured for further evaluation of the toughening efficiency. The notched‐impact strength of the toughened PS blends with uncrosslinked particles reached almost sixfold higher than that of the untoughened PS when 15 phr of the core–shell structured particles was added. For the crosslinked particles the toughening effect for PS was not obvious. The toughening mechanism for these smaller particles also is discussed in this article. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 1290–1297, 2003     

Rubber‐toughened polypropylene/acrylonitrile‐co‐butadiene‐co‐styrene blends: Morphology and mechanical properties

The RTPP/ABS (rubber toughened polypropylene/poly (acrylonitrile‐co‐butadiene‐co‐styrene) blends, both noncompatibilized and compatibilized with polypropylene‐g‐polystyrene, were prepared by melt mixing in a Brabender Plasti‐Corder. As the torque ratio of RTPP and ABS was about 2, phase cocontinuity in the blends was achieved at ABS volume fractions around 0.16, which was evidenced by both microscopic analysis and mechanical testing. A new microscopic and image analysis technique was introduced, whose combination provides two semiquantitative parameters: structure roughness and structure cocontinuity. The latter parameter is closely associated with the predictive scheme based on the equivalent box model and percolation theory, which was used in this study. The predicted mechanical properties were confronted with the experimental data for tensile modulus, yield strength, and tensile impact strength. While the modulus of noncompatibilized blends is reasonably fitted by the model, the compatibilizer accounts for a positive deviation attributed to a strong interaction between the compatibilizer and the matrix. The yield strength of noncompatibilized blends indicates poor interfacial adhesion, which is so enhanced by the compatibilizer that no phase debonding occurs before yielding. Tensile impact strength, in contrast to modulus and yield strength, passes through a deep minimum for both types of blends; two tentative explanations of this detrimental behavior were suggested. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 47:582–592, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers.     

Influence of mechanical properties in carbon black (CB) filled isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and propylene-ethylene block copolymer

The mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and propylene-ethylene block copolymer (Co-PP) with carbon black (CB) were added as a filler. By mixing appropriate amounts of the two components through melt-blending in a twin-screw extruder, the blended pellets were prepared to a series of test specimens by injection molding. A scanning electron microscopic study was performed of the morphologies of the impact fractured surfaces. The blending of CB in Co-PP not only improves the impact strength, but also improves the flexural modulus and tensile strength; however, the heat distortion temperature (HDT) of the Co-PP/CB blends decreased with greater filler content. Furthermore, the filler of CB improves the tensile yield strength only at low filler content in iPP/CB blends, and the heat distortion temperature (HDT) and flexural modulus of the iPP/CB blends increased with greater filler content. The impact behavior is not good for the iPP/CB blends. Overall, Co-PP/CB has better interaction of molecules than iPP/CB. © 1996 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Influence of crosslinking on crystallization,rheological, and mechanical behaviors of high density polyethylene/ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer blends

High density polyethylene (HDPE)/ethylene‐vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) blends with selective crosslinking the EVA phase were prepared and the crystallization, rheological, and mechanical behaviors were studied. Selective crosslinking of EVA component could greatly improve both tensile and impact strengths of the HDPE‐rich blends and influence melting enthalpy at different annealing temperature in successive self‐nucleation and annealing procedure. Dynamic mechanical analysis reveals that glass transition temperatures of both the HDPE and EVA components are lowered upon blending and are raised upon crosslinking. The uncrosslinked HDPE/EVA blends are unstable in the melt and show increment in storage modulus (G′) and decay in loss tangent (tanδ) with annealing time associated with phase coarsening. However, morphology of selectively crosslinked blends in the melt state is highly unstable, characterized by a fast migration of uncrosslinked HDPE component out of the crosslinked EVA phase to the surface resulting in a rapid decay in G′ and an increment in tanδ at the early stage of annealing. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 54:2848–2858, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers     

PP/POE共混物力学性能研究

用双螺杆挤出机制备了聚丙(烯PP)/聚烯烃弹性(体POE)共混物,研究了POE用量对PP/POE共混物冲击性能、拉伸性能及弯曲性能的影响。结果表明:随着POE含量的增加,PP/POE共混物的冲击强度明显提高;拉伸强度及拉伸模量弯、曲强度及弯曲模量、断裂伸长率及断裂强度均减小。     

The effect of recycling number on the mechanical,chemical, thermal,and rheological properties of PBT/PC/ABS ternary blends: With and without glass‐fiber

The recycling possibilities of poly(butylene terephthalate)/polycarbonate/acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (PBT/PC/ABS) ternary blend with and without glass‐fiber content were investigated using repeated injection molding process. In this study, PBT/PC/ABS ternary blends were reprocessed at five times and the results were presented after each recycling process. The recycling possibility of PBT/PC/ABS ternary blend was evaluated by measuring the mechanical, chemical, thermal, and rheological properties. Mechanical properties were determined by the tensile strength, yield strength, strain at break, elastic modulus, impact strength, flexural strength, and flexural modulus. Chemical and thermal properties were evaluated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, thermal gravimetric analysis, and scanning electron microscopy. Rheological properties of the ternary blends were studied by melt flow index measurement. From the results, it was found that mechanical properties of recycled composites were better than virgin PBT/PC/ABS ternary blends. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:2074–2084, 2014. © 2014 Society of Plastics Engineers