Polymer blends of PA6 and PPE compatibilized by phenolic novolac epoxy coupler

A commercially available multi-functional epoxy monomer, phenolic novolac epoxy (PNE) resin, has demonstrated to be an effective reactive compatibilizer for the blends of polyamide-6 (PA6) and poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene ether) (PPE). It requires about 1/10 by weight relative to a typical conventional reactive compatibilizer to achieve same level of compatibilization in terms of mechanical property improvements. By acting as a coupler, this multi-functional epoxy can react with PA6 and PPE during melt blending and produces the desirable PA6-co-PNE-co-PPE mixed copolymers at the interface. This in situ-formed copolymer containing PA6 and PPE segments tends to reside at the interface between PA6 and PPE domains to reduce melt interfacial tension and enhance interface adhesion as an efficient compatibilizer of the PA6/PPE blends.