engleski

Compatibilisation of thermoplastic polyurethane and polypropylene by talc

The incorporation of mineral fillers in thermoplastics reduces interfacial tension, refines blends morphology and therefore leads to an improvement of processing and application properties of the final material. It is well known that mineral fillers improve the rigidity of the polymers, but they also decrease ductility and toughness. The factors influencing the properties of these systems, such as the nature of the polymer, the mineral particle size and distribution, and the dispersion and orientation of the particles in the polymer bulk, are well established. The aim of this study was to investigate the compatibilizing effect of talc on the morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of TPU/PP blends. The compatibility, thermal and mechanical properties of pure components (TPU, PP) and their blends were investigated by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and tensile strength test. The results indicated that a higher crystallization rate was obtained for TPU/PP blends when the talc is added, which can be attributed to the nucleating effect induced in PP by talc particles. The nucleating effect of the talc leads to a faster crystallization which results in an amorphous phase with a bigger mobility (lower Tg). The better compatibility between TPU and PP was obtained by talc.

thermoplastic polyurethane; polypropylene; talc; polymer blends; compatibilization; thermal properties

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