Compatibilization of Polyamide‐6/Polyarylate Blends by Means of an Ionomer

Abstract

IntroductionPolymer blends and alloys are an important research field both from a basic and applied point of view. For this reason, the literature and knowledge concerned with them are clearly growing. [1,2] A typical and important problem when materials based in new polymer blends are developed is that, although the properties of the two components are complementary, the blends are immiscible, and as a consequence usually mechanically incompatible. Therefore, compatibilization is usually needed. [3,4] It is mainly attained either by means of reactive processing [5,6] of functionalized chains, which generate reacted copolymers, or by the addition of a third component that either reacts or interacts with both of the components of the blend. Of the added third components, functionalized polymers, commercial polymers, or ionomers have often been reported in the literature.When copolymers are produced, they locate at the polymer/ polymer interface, decreasing the interfacial tension and improving both the microstructure and the properties of the blend.Polyamide-6 (PA6) is a partially crystalline polymer that has been blended with many second components such as poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), [7,8] phenoxy, [9] poly-(amino-ether), [10] rubbers, [11][12][13][14] liquid crystalline polymer, [15] polysulfone, [16] poly(ether sulfone), [17] poly(butylene terephthalate), [18][19][20] and polyethylene. [21,22] Of these, PA6/polycarbonate (PC) blends are specially attractive, and as a consequence, the effects of mixing time and blend composition, [23] PA6 terminal groups, [24] interchange reactions, [25] and different processing methods [26] on properties and morphology have been studied.Polyarylate of bisphenol A (PAr) is a polymer with characteristics rather similar to those of PC, but with a higher T g Summary: Polyamide-6 (PA6)/polyarylate of bisphenol A (PAr) blends rich in PA6 and modified with an additional 15% poly[ethylene-co-(methacrylic acid)] partially neutralized with zinc (PEMA-Zn) as a compatibilizer were obtained by melt mixing. Their phase structure, morphology, and mechanical performance were compared with those of the corresponding binary blends. The ternary blends were composed of a PA6 amorphous matrix and a dispersed PAr-rich phase in which reacted PA6 and PEMA-Zn were present. Additionally, minor amounts of a crystalline PA6 phase, and a PEMAZn phase were also present. The chemical reactions observed led to a clear decrease in the dispersed particle size when PEMA-Zn was added, indicating compatibilization. Consequently, the mechanical behavior of the blends with PEMAZn improved, leading, mainly in the case of the blend with 10% PAr, to significant increases in both ductility and impact strength with respect to those of the binary blends. These increases were more remarkable than the slight decrease in stiffness as a consequence of the rubbery nature of the compatibilizer.Cryogenically fractured surface of the PA6/PAr-PEMA-Zn 70/30-15 ternary blend.[201 8C by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMTA)] tha...

Compatibilization of PP/PAE blends by means of the addition of an ionomer

“…Maleic anhydride‐grafted PP (PP‐ g ‐MA) has been used in mixtures of PP with polyamides [22–25], epoxy [26–28], EVOH [7, 15, 29], and organoclays [21, 30–33], among others. In the last decade, ionomers have been successfully used to compatibilize immiscible polymer blends [12, 13, 34–47] as well as to improve the dispersion of the organically modified montmorillonite clay in polyesters [48, 49]. In the case of PP‐based blends, different kinds of ionomers have been used to compatibilize them.…”

Synthesis and characterization of monomer‐casting polyamide 6/polymethacrylic ionomer blends

“…Ionomers are well known and are used as crystallization promoters of poly(ethylene terephthalate)1 or as compatilizers2–6 in applications. Ionomers can carry out specific interactions with polyamides.…”