A series of polypropylene (PP)/poly(ethylene- co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) blend nanocomposites was produced by utilizing different amounts of organophilic halloysite nanotube (Org-HNT) and EVA-based compatibilizers/tougheners. They were prepared by using either only EVA elastomer or using EVA with the compatibilizers which are maleic anhydride grafted EVA (EVA-g-MA) and poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate-carbon monoxide) (EVACO) as well as maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP-g-MA). The morphology–mechanical property relationship was investigated as a function of nature of the compatibilizer and the amount of aluminosilicate nanotube/compatibilizer. The composites prepared without using the EVA-based compatibilizers in all nanotube loading degrees (1%, 3%, 5%) exhibited nanotube aggregates as evidenced by scanning electron microscope analyses. On the other hand, EVA-g-MA and EVACO provided a good dispersion of HNTs at both PP–EVA interface and in the PP matrix. The use of compatibilizers together with 3% Org-HNT resulted in PP/EVA blend nanocomposites with higher tensile modulus and toughness when compared to PP/EVA blend. Particularly, EVACO compatibilizer having highly polar carbonyl group at its backbone provided the highest toughness and Young’s modulus as well as impact resistance for the 3% Org-HNT loaded nanocomposite while retaining the yield strength as an indication of a good balance between stiffness/toughness.

Polypropylene (PP)/poly (ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) (EVA) nanocomposites were prepared with use of 3 wt% of organophilic halloysite nanotubes (Org-HNTs) and 3 types of compatibilizers in two steps. First, masterbatchs of EVA and the compatibilizers with the Org-HNT were prepared by two different preparation techniques; melt masterbatch (MM) and solution masterbatch (SM). The masterbatchs were then melt compounded with PP in the second step. Special attention was paid to effects of nature of compatibilizer and masterbatch preparation technique on morphology-mechanical property relationship for the composites. Poly(ethylene-vinyl acetate-carbon monoxide) (EVACO) and maleic anhydride grafted EVA (EVA-g-MA) were used as EVA-based compatibilizers which gave a homogeneous distribution of the nanotubes in the matrix and at the matrix-elastomer interphase as compared to maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP-g-MA). The both masterbatch techniques provided a core-shell morphology composed of nanotubes as core surrounded with elastomer phase as a shell, which led to higher toughness and impact resistance for the composites. Particularly, the EVACO compatibilizer provided the highest toughness, tensile modulus and impact resistance for 3% Org-HNT loaded nanocomposite produced with the SM technique. The same nanocomposite was found to act as an effective damper with an optimum modulus in a broad range of temperature and show a relatively higher creep resistance than the counterpart produced with the MMT technique. It also exhibited 66% higher scratch resistance compared to the PP/EVA blend, which makes it advantageous for the visible parts in automotive applications.