THERMOPLASTIC ELASTOMER NANOCOMPOSITES BASED ON DYNAMICALLY VULCANIZED PP/EPDM: MICROSTRUCTURE, MECHANICAL AND VISCOELASTIC PROPERTIES

摘要

Thermoplastic elastomer nanocomposites based on dynamically vulcanized PP/EPDM with three different viscosity ratio and nanoclay content have been prepared by a melt compounding process. Based on the results of X-ray diffraction measurements, dynamic mechanical testing and thermal characterization, the microstructure of the prepared nanocomposite was found to be sensitive to the viscosity ratio of PP/EPDM and the nanoclay content. X-ray diffraction and dynamic mechanical studies also suggested that nanoclays were exfoliated into the polypropylene and EPDM. Tensile modulus of the nanocomposite samples increased from 20 to 90% depending on nanoclay content and the viscosity ratio of PP/EPDM. Tension set of the nanocomposite samples also decreased in comparison with unfilled samples. Moreover, the presence of the nanoclay significantly increased the onset temperature of thermal degradation in the nanocomposite samples.