engleski

Modification of Phase Stability in Polymer Blends by Compatibilizers

Polymeric materials are often mixed together that alter their processability, modulus, mechanical properties, morphology and application. The usual goal for forming mixtures of polymer blends is to achieve higher compatibility, improved interfacial adhesion between two polymer phases, which can be accomplished by adding of compatibilizer. In this work various types of polymer blends were prepared: a) styrene-acrylonitrile/ethylene-propylene-diene (SAN/EPDM) with high impact polystyrene (HIPS) and graft copolymer ethylene-propylene-diene-graft-polystyrene (EPDM-g-PS) as compatibilizers ; b) poly(ethylene-terephtalate)/high density polyethylene (PET/HDPE) with isocyanate monomer HI and EPDM. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of compatibilizers on the adhesion at the interface in polymer blends, which result in changes of blend morphology and blend properties. Characterization of the prepared samples was carried out by determination of the surface parameters, by determination of mechanical properties, by the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM). The adhesion between compatibilizer and phases in blends was predicted on the basis of the calculated adhesion parameters (work of adhesion, interfacial free energy and spreading coefficient) obtained by the surface free energy of components. These results were correlated with mechanical and thermal properties as well as morphology observations. Stronger interactions between phases in polymer blends in investigated samples were reflected in enhanced properties.

polymer blends; SAN; EPDM; PET; HDPE; phase stability; compatibilizer

nije evidentirano