Effects of Compatibilizer on Mechanical, Morphological, and Rheological Properties of Polypropylene/Poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) Blends

• Published in: Macromolecular research Vol. 15; no. 4; pp. 308 - 314
• Main Authors: Kum, Chong-K, Sung, Yu-Taek, Kim, Yong-Su, Lee, Hyung-Gon, Kim, Woo-Nyon, Lee, Heon-Sang, Yoon, Ho-Gyu
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 2007
• Subjects: rheology; morphology; polymer blends; compatibilizer; mechanical properties
• ISSN: 1598-5032; 2092-7673

The effects of a compatibilizer on polypropylene (PP)/poly(acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene) (ABS) blends were studied. Blends of the PP/ABS, with PP-g-SAN copolymer as a compatibilizer, were prepared using a twin screw extruder. The flexural and impact strength of the PP/ABS blends with the PP-g-SAN copolymer increased significantly with PP-rich compositions on the addition of the PP-g-SAN copolymer at 3 phr. The increase in the mechanical properties of the PP/ABS/PP-g-SAN blend may have been due to the toughening effects of the ABS in the PP-rich compositions. In the morphology study of the PP/ABS/PP-g-SAN (80/20) blend with the PP-g-SAN copolymer, the minimum droplet size, $5.1{\mu}m$, was observed with the addition on phr of the PP-g-SAN copolymer. The complex viscosity of the PP/ABS/PP-g-SAN (80/20) blends increased with the addition of3 phr of the PP-g-SAN copolymer. From the above mechanical properties, morphology and complex viscosity results for the PP/ABS blends, it is suggested that the compatibility is more increased with the PP-rich composition (PP:ABS=80/20 wt%) of the PP/ABS blend on the addition of 3 phr of the PP-g-SAN copolymer.