Studies on Impact Toughening and Thermal Properties of Nylon-6/LDPE-g-MAH Blends

Polyamide (PA)-6 is an engineering thermoplastic. It finds its application in electrical, mechanical, and automotive parts due to its very high processing and excellent barrier properties to oils. Unfortunately, Nylon-6 (Ny6) is relatively high priced, has poor impact strength, particularly when notched, and poor dimensional stability as well as poor barrier properties to moisture, which limits its applicability. On the other hand, due to low cost, low coefficient of friction, lightweight, high strength, high barrier properties to moisture, good optical properties, and ease of processing, low density polyethylene (LDPE) is an ideal material to incorporate with Polyamide-6 for film, container, and many engineering applications. The present study deals with the preparation of Nylon-6 and modified LDPE (MLDPE) blends, varying the MLDPE concentration from 0 to 50 wt%. The objective of this study is to find the effect of maleic-anhydride grafted low-density polyethylaene on various mechanical properties such as tensile, impact, and flexural properties of Nylon-6. There is a decrease in tensile and flexural properties, the notched Izod impact strength increased greatly when the MLDPE content was 20%. It includes the study the effect of MLDPE on thermal properties and morphological properties of Nylon-6. The morphology of PA/MLDPE blends showed dispersed particle in the polymeric matrix.