Study of poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/polyamide 6 blends filled with POSS

摘要

Poly(2,6-dimethyl-1,4-phenylene oxide)/polyamide 6 (PPO/PA6) (50/50 wt/wt) blends with novel morphologies were prepared via melt mixing of PPO, PA6 and nanofillers epoxycyclohexyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (ePOSS).The morphology of PPO/PA6 blends was observed by means of field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). With increasing ePOSS content, the PPO phase dispersed more uniformly and furthermore its domain size significantly decreased. However, when the ePOSS content exceeded 3.8 wt%, the droplet/matrix type of morphology was transformed into the co-continuous morphology. As the ePOSS content was up to 7.4 wt%, the phase inversion occurred. The ePOSS as the chain extender for PA6 played an important role in controlling morphology in terms of changing the melt-viscosity ratio and melt-elasticity ratio of the PPO/PA6 blends. The PPO/PA6 blends with fine co-continuous phase structure had the best mechanical properties. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) showed the ePOSS had significant effects on the dynamic mechanical properties of PPO/PA6 blends.Furthermore, these effects also conducted on crystal behavior and thermal properties of PPO/PA6 blends, which were investigated by wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) spectrum and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis.