Reactive mixing of PET and PET/PP blends with glycidyl methacrylate–modified styrene‐b‐(ethylene‐co‐olefin) block copolymers

Abstract

Styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene (SEBS) and styrene-b-(ethylene-co-propylene) (SEP, SEPSEP) block copolymers with different styrene contents and different numbers of blocks in the copolymer chain were functionalized by melt radical grafting with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA) and employed as compatibilizers for PET-based blends. Binary blends of PET with both functionalized (SEBS-g-GMA, SEP-g-GMA, SEPSEP-g-GMA) and neat (SEBS, SEP, SEPSEP) copolymers (75 : 25 w/w) and ternary blends of PET and PP (75 : 25 w/w) with various amounts (2.5-10 phr) of both modified and unmodified copolymers were prepared in an internal mixer, and their properties were evaluated by SEM, DSC, melt viscosimetry, and tensile and impact tests. The roles of the chemical structure, grafting degree, and concentration of the various copolymers on blend compatibilization was investigated. The blends with the grafted copolymers showed a neat improvement of phase dispersion and interfacial adhesion compared to the blends with nonfunctionalized copolymers. The addition of grafted copolymers resulted in a marked increase in melt viscosity, which was accounted for by the occurrence of chemical reactions between the epoxide groups of GMA and the carboxyl/hydroxyl end groups of PET during melt mixing. Blends with SEPSEP-g-GMA and SEBS-g-GMA, at concentrations of 5-10 phr, showed a higher compatibilizing effect with enhanced elongation at break and impact resistance. The effectiveness of GMA-functionalized SEBS was then compared to that of maleic anhydride-grafted SEBS.

Properties of waste‐poly(ethylene terephthalate)/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene blends compatibilized with maleated acrylonitrile butadiene styrene

“…Existence of the interfacial copolymer can be responsible for the rise in viscosity. Other researchers have observed similar increases in viscosity caused by the compatibilizing process [21, 23, 24].…”

“…This finding is attributed to the strong interaction between the two phases caused by the successful compatibilizing process. Other researchers have observed the same effect in the presence of compatibilizer when a strong interfacial interaction between the matrix and the dispersed phase is obtained [2, 14, 21]. In compatibilized W‐PET/ABS‐ g ‐MA blends, reduction of interfacial tension probably occurs through the formation of a graft copolymer in a reaction between the carboxyl groups of MA and the hydroxyl groups of W‐PET [22, 15].…”

Compatibilization of Poly(styrene‐acrylonitrile) (SAN)/Poly(ethylene) Blends via Amine Functionalization of SAN Chain Ends

“…[20,50] Similarly, most polyesters have carboxylic acid and hydroxyl functionality at the chain ends and can be blended with epoxy functional PE. [51] By requiring inherent functionality on the polymer chain, the range of available barrier materials to blend with PE is seemingly very narrow.…”

Preparation of SiC whisker and application in reinforce of polystyrene resin composite materials

“…It showed a remarkable effect on the reduction of phase domain and about two times enhancement in impact toughness. 11 PS resin is one of the examples of polymer materials that have limited impact resistance. To improve the mechanical and transport properties of PS resins, attention was paid on the inclusion of doped manganite particles of general chemical formula A 1 -x A the ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) fiber as reinforced composites.…”