| Abstract: | The influence of the addition of two ethylene-propylene random copolymers (EPM) with different composition on the mechanical properties, thermal behavior and overall morphology of high density polyethylene (HDPE)/isotactic polypropylene (iPP) blends, was investigated on extruded samples. The experimental data showed that the morphology of binary HDPE/iPP blends is drastically modified by these additives and that the ultimate mechanical properties of these mixtures are greatly improved. A reasonable explanation of these results can be ascribed to the fact that these copolymers can act as “compatibilizing agents” in the amorphous regions of the two semicrystalline homopolymers. The extent of such effects is dependent on the chemical structure and/or on the molecular mass of the added copolymer as well as on the HDPE/iPP blend compositions. |
