The effect of compatibilization on the properties of mixtures of polypropylene with aliphatic polyamide

• Main Authors: Vorontsov, N. V., Popov, A. A., Margolin, A. L.
• Format: Conference Proceeding
• Language: English
• Subjects: Compatibility; Composite materials; Crystallization; Enthalpy; Maleic anhydride; Mechanical properties; Melting; Optical microscopy; Polyamide resins; Polymer blends; Polypropylene; Tensile properties
• ISSN: 0094-243X; 1551-7616
• DOI: 10.1063/5.0034385

The characteristics of isotactic polypropylene (PP), polyamide 6/66-4 (PA) and their blends in the range of 0–100 wt % of PA with and without addition of PP grafted with maleic anhydride (MA) were studied. The properties of the obtained composites were studied by etching the PA phase in the films of composites, optical microscopy, by the DSC method, and their mechanical characteristics were measured. The temperatures and enthalpies of melting and crystallization of the obtained PP/PA composites were measured. It has been shown that compatibilization weakly affects the melting and crystallization temperatures of composites. At a high PA content the compatibilization noticeably broadens the crystallization peak and increases the enthalpies of melting and crystallization of composites. The tensile properties of PP/PA composites are shown to decrease in comparison with that of PA and PA, but to improve significantly in the presence of small amounts of the MA as compatibilizer. The improvement in the properties of composites is shown to be due to a finer distribution of PA phase in PP and structural changes of PP/PA blends in the presence of MA.