In situ compatibilization of polypropylene/polystyrene blend by controlled degradation and reactive extrusion |
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Authors: | Rongbo Li Xiuqin Zhang Lijuan Zhou Jinyong Dong Dujin Wang |
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Affiliation: | 1. Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, CAS Key Laboratory of Engineering Plastics, Joint Laboratory for Polymer Science and Materials, Institute of Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China;2. Graduate School of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China |
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Abstract: | In situ compatibilization of polypropylene (PP) and polystyrene (PS) was achieved by combinative application of tetraethyl thiuram disulfide (TETD) as degradation inhibitor and di‐tert‐butyl peroxide as degradation initiator in the process of reactive extrusion. The PP/PS blends obtained were systematically investigated by rheological measurement, scanning electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicate that peroxide‐induced degradation of PP can be effectively depressed by adding TETD, which may favor the formation of PP‐g‐PS copolymer during melt processing. The PP‐g‐PS copolymer formed may act as an in situ compatibilizer for PP/PS blends, and subsequently decreases the size of dispersed PS phase and changes both rheological and thermal properties of the blends. Based on the present experimental results, the mechanisms for the controlled degradation of PP and in situ formation of PP‐g‐PS copolymer in the PP/PS blends have been proposed. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009 |
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Keywords: | polypropylene/polystyrene blends controlled degradation reactive extrusion in situ compatibilization |
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