Polymer Blend Compatibilization through Chemical Reaction

摘要

Immiscible polymer blends frequently have poor mechanical properties because of inadequate adhesion at the interface between component domains. This situation can be improved by addition of performed block copolymers whose segments have affinity for each of the component phases. Alternatively, functionalized polymers may be added to each phase that can meet and chemically react at the interface between domains thus creating block or graft copolymers in situ. This paper explores the behavior of two relatively new functionalized polymers for this purpose. One consists of oxazoline units in a styrene based copolymer while the other contains glycidyl methacrylate units in an ethylene copolymer. The consequences of any interfacial reactions were followed using melt rheology, interfacial adhesion, and solid state mechanical property determination. It was found that the epoxide unit produced effective coupling of immiscible phases; whereas, the oxazoline unit does not appear to be as useful. Incorporation of an ethylene/glycidyl methacrylate copolymer into nylon 6 produced materials having very high impact strength (in excess of 20 ft-lb/in). Reprints. (AW)