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Compatibilization of polymer blends is performed to obtain synergistic effects in physical and mechanical properties. The present work demonstrates the ability of vinyltrimethoxysilane‐grafted‐ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (VTMS‐g‐EPDM) to improve the compatibility between EPDM and polybenzoxazine (PB). EPDM reacted with 5 phr of VTMS showed the highest grafting efficiency as well as a relatively low gel content, and was added to EPDM/PB blends. The addition of 8 phr of compatibilizer to 70/30 (w/w) EPDM/PB reduced the dispersed PB droplet size from 3.1 μm to 800 nm. Effects of various blend compositions at constant dosage of compatibilizer (8 phr) on the swelling behavior and tensile properties of the samples were also studied. The tensile strength increased from 12 to 14.5 MPa upon adding the compatibilizer at 50/50 blend ratio of EPDM/PB; however, the increase in the PB content had no significant impact on the tensile strength in both compatibilized and non‐compatibilized samples.

The novel technique of microwave irradiation was used to prepare EPDM/PP cellular foams, together with the novel approach of additive encapsulation.

The momentous role of hollow glass bead (HGB) fillers to manipulate the thermal and mechanical properties of polymers has become an issue of significant interest. As regards, the scope of this work is oriented to manifest the interplay effects of HGB contents (average size of 60 μm) and uniaxial stretching ratios (100 and 200%) on HGB‐filled bimodal polypropylene (PP) films. SEM micrographs showed that at higher stretching ratio at about 120°C the pore formation was improved which was due to performance of smaller HGB particles. Also increasing the amount of HGBs could notably decrease the permeability of microporous composite films as a result of compaction effect. Moreover, an additional peak in the differential scanning calorimetry of composite films was the nucleating performance of smaller HGB particles. The yielding behavior of the precursor and porous PP samples prepared by hot stretching was analyzed by tensile testing. The results revealed that with the increase in the number of pores, strain softening was faded and eventually completely removed. Therefore, a ductile‐brittle transition occurred in the behavior of the polymer. POLYM. COMPOS., 40:2938–2945, 2019. © 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers

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