CRYSTALLIZATION AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BLENDS OF METALLOCENE SHORT CHAIN BRANCHED POLYETHYLENE WITH CONVENTIONAL POLYOLEFINS

Metallocene-catalyzed short chain branched polyethylene (SCBPE) was blended with LDPE, HDPE, PS, EPDM and iPP in the weight proportions of 80 and 20. The crystallization and mechanical properties of these blends were studied by PLM, DSC and DMA. It has been observed in PLM that SCBPE/LDPE, SCBPE/HDPE and SCBPE/EPDM can form band spherulites whose band width and size are both smaller than that of the pure SCBPE. Tiny crystallites are observed in the completely immiscible SCBPE/PS blend. The crystallites in SCBPE/iPP are very small and only irregular spherulites are seen. The crystallization kinetics and mechanical properties of SCBPE are greatly affected by the second polyolefin, but in a different way, depending on the phase behavior and the modulus of the second components. SCBPE may be phase miscible in the melt with HDPE, LDPE and EPDM and co-crystallize together with HDPE or LDPE during cooling. A big change of crystal morphology and crystallization kinetics is seen in SCBPE/iPP blend compared with pure SCBPE and the lowest tanδ is also seen for this system. DMA results show that the tensile modulus of the blends has nothing to do with phase behavior, but only depends on the modulus of the second component.     

Great improvement of low‐temperature impact resistance of isotactic polypropylene/ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber blends by traces of carbon nanotubes and β‐nucleating agents

In this work, a considerable low‐temperature toughness enhancement of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) was achieved by adding 30 wt% ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM) as well as traces of β‐nucleating agent (β‐NAs) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The impact strength of the iPP/30 wt% EPDM blend with 0.1 wt% β‐NAs reached 6.57 kJ/m² at ?20°C, over 2.5 times of pure iPP. A slightly improved impact strength was further found in the β‐nucleated iPP/30 wt% EPDM at the presence of 0.05 wt% CNTs. The presence of traces of CNTs, β‐NAs, and EPDM displayed synergistic low‐temperature toughness reinforcement effect on the iPP blends. The underlying toughening mechanism was attributed to the formation of a great amount of voids and plastic deformation of iPP matrix affected by CNTs, β‐NAs, and EPDM. Our work provided a feasible strategy to significantly increase the low‐temperature toughness of iPP.     

EFFECT OF COMPATIBILITY ON PHASE MORPHOLOGY AND ORIENTATION OF ISOTACTIC POLYPROPYLENE （IPP） BLENDS OBTAINED BY DYNAMIC PACKING INJECTION MOLDING

The effect of compatibility on phase morphology and orientation of isotactic polypropylene （iPP） blends under shear stress was investigated via dynamic packing injection molding （DPIM）. The compatibility of iPP blended with other polymers, namely, atactic polypropylene （aPP）, octane-ethylene copolymer （POE）, ethylene-propylene-diene rubber （EPDM） and poly（ethylene-co-vinyl acetate） （EVA）, have first been studied using dynamic mechanical analysis （DMA）. These blends were subjected to DPIM, which relies on the application of shear stress fields to the melt/solid interfaces during the packing stage by means of hydraulically actuated pistons. The phase morphology, orientation and mechanical properties of the injection-molded samples were characterized by SEM, 2D WAXS and Instron. For incompatible iPP/EVA blends, a much elongated and deformed EVA particles and a higher degree of iPP chain orientation were observed under the effect of shear. However, for compatible iPP/aPP blends, a less deformed and elongated aPP particles and less oriented iPP chains were deduced. It can be concluded that the compatibility between the components decreases the deformation and orientation in the polymer blends. This is most likely due to the hindering effect, resulting from the molecular entanglement and interaction in the compatible system.     

高密度聚乙烯/全同立构聚丙烯共混物超拉伸纤维的热行为与力学行为

用热拉法制备了高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)/全同立构聚丙烯(iPP)共混物超拉伸纤维,研究了拉伸比对其热行为及力学行为的影响,随拉伸比增加,纤维中HDPE与iPP的结晶度增大,熔融温度升高、熔程变宽;纤维中HDPE与iPP的结晶度低于其纯组分,熔融湿度与熔程基本不受组分比的影响,随拉伸比增加,纤维的模量增高,以HDPE为主的纤维的拉伸强度增大,以iPP为主的纤维拉伸强度增至一定值后,不再随拉伸比增加而增大,并有下降趋势。     

Dynamically Photocrosslinking of Polypropylene／EPDM Blends as a Thermoplastic Elastomer

The mechanical properties and the crystal morphological structures of the dynamically photocrosslinked polypropylene (PP)/ethylene-propylene-diene terpolymer (EPDM) blends have been studied by means of mechanical tests, wide-angle X-ray diffraction(WAXD), and differential scanning calorimetry(DSC). The dynamically photocrosslinking of the PP/EPDM blends can improve the mechanical properties considerably, especially the notched Izod impact strength at low temperatures. The data obtained from the mechanical tests show that the notched Izod impact strength of the dynamically photocrosslinked sample with 30% EPDM at -20℃ is about six times that of the uncrosslinked sample with the same EPDM component. The results from the gel content, the results of WAXD, and the DSC measurements reveal the enhanced mechanism of the impact strength for the dynamically photocrosslinked PP/EPDM blends as follows: (1) There exists the crosslinking of the EPDM phase in the photocrosslinked PP/EPDM blends ; (2) The β-type crystal structureof PP is formed and the content of α-type crystal decreases with increasing the EPDM component; (3) The graft copolymer of PP-g-EPDM is formed at the interface between the PP and EPDM components. All the above changes of the crystal morphological structures are favorable for increasing the compatibility and enhancing the toughness of the PP/EPDM blends at low temperatures.     

iPP/HDPE/EPDM三元共混体系的组分分布、相容性和结晶行为

用DSC、~(13)C-NMR、SEM和WAXD等方法研究了IPP/HDPE/EPDM三元共混体系的组分分布、相容性和结晶行为。实验结果表明,EPDM与PE组分的相容性优于与PP组分的相容性,多数EPDM分子链段能够分布在PE组分中;EPDM含量为15％时,共混物相容性最好,SEM照片呈现晶体微区的互连或网络状结构;随EPDM含量增加,总结晶度X_c减小,其中PE组分结晶度X_(cE)有较大幅度地降低,PP组分结晶度X_(cp)基本没有变化,这可以根据EPDM和PE、PP之间相容性的差异以及PE、PP两组分在冷却过程中不同的结晶行为来解释。     

iPP/HDPE/EPDM三元共混体系的组分分布、相容性和结晶行为

 用DSC、¹³C-NMR、SEM和WAXD等方法研究了IPP/HDPE/EPDM三元共混体系的组分分布、相容性和结晶行为。实验结果表明,EPDM与PE组分的相容性优于与PP组分的相容性,多数EPDM分子链段能够分布在PE组分中;EPDM含量为15％时,共混物相容性最好,SEM照片呈现晶体微区的互连或网络状结构;随EPDM含量增加,总结晶度X_c减小,其中PE组分结晶度X_cE有较大幅度地降低,PP组分结晶度X_cp基本没有变化,这可以根据EPDM和PE、PP之间相容性的差异以及PE、PP两组分在冷却过程中不同的结晶行为来解释。     

Solvent‐ and interface‐induced surface segregation in blends of isotactic polypropylene with poly(ethylene‐co‐propylene) rubber

The surface compositions and morphologies of melt‐quenched blends of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) with aspecific poly(ethylene‐co‐propylene) rubber (aEPR) were characterized by atomic force microscopy, optical microscopy, and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The surface morphologies and compositions formed in the melt are frozen‐in by crystallization of the iPP component and, depending on the processing conditions, are enriched in iPP or aEPR or contain a phase‐separated mix of iPP and aEPR. Enrichment of iPP is observed for blends melted in open air, in agreement with earlier work showing the high surface activity of atactic polypropylene at open interfaces. Surface segregation of iPP is suppressed at confined interfaces. Blends melt‐pressed between hydrophilic and hydrophobic substrates have phase‐separated iPP and aEPR domains present at the surface, which grow in size as the melt time increases. Surface enrichment of aEPR is observed after exposing melt‐pressed blends to n‐hexane vapor, which preferentially solvates aEPR and draws it to the surface. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 421–432, 2004     

Blends of isotactic polypropylenes and a plastomer: crystallization and viscoelastic behavior

Blends covering the entire range of compositions of a metallocenic ethylene-1-octene, CEO, copolymer and two conventional isotactic polypropylenes, iPP, of different molecular weights have been prepared, analyzing the effect of composition and molecular weight on the crystallization (studied by DSC and X-ray diffraction) and viscoelastic behavior (DMTA). It was found that those blends rich in the iPP component show a behavior practically coincident with the weighted addition of the two components. On the contrary, significant deviations were found for the blends where the CEO copolymer is the major component. These deviations are considerably more important in the case of the blends with the iPP of higher molecular weight. Moreover, both components are not miscible, exhibiting the glass transitions of the two neat components. The area under the loss tangent curves provides a preliminary information about how the toughness is enhanced using this type of impact modifier, though it provokes a significant reduction of stiffness.     

The effect of compatibilizers on the crystallisation, melting and polymorphic composition of β-nucleated isotactic polypropylene and polyamide 6 blends

Non-compatibilized and compatibilized blends of isotactic polypropylene (iPP) and polyamide 6 (iPP/PA6) as well as their β-nucleated versions were prepared using maleic anhydride functionalized iPP (MAPP) with different anhydride contents as compatibilizer. Ca-suberate, a highly efficient and selective β-nucleating agent was added to the blends in order to promote the formation of the β-modification of iPP. The melting and crystallisation characteristics, as well as the polymorphic composition of the blends were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The supermolecular and phase structure of the blends were studied by polarised light microscopy (PLM). iPP and PA6 form blends with heterogeneous phase structure; the PA6 component is dispersed in the iPP matrix in the concentration range studied. The compatibilizer promotes the dispersion of PA6 resulting in smaller particles than without MAPP. In the non-compatibilized β-nucleated blends, an iPP matrix consisting mainly of the α-modification was formed already at low PA6 content. On the contrary, predominantly β-iPP matrix developed in the presence of MAPP compatibilizers. The formation of α-iPP matrix in the absence of compatibilizer is related to the selective encapsulation of the nucleating agent in the polar PA6 phase. The influence of the blending technique on the polymorphic composition of the matrix supports the hypothesis of selective encapsulation. Compatibilizers, besides their traditional benefits assist the distribution of the β-nucleating agent between both phases of the blends and promote the formation of a matrix rich in β-iPP. In the presence of β-nucleating agent MAPP with low anhydride content and blends of iPP containing maleated polypropylene crystallise predominantly in the β-form.     

Effect of compounding procedure on morphology and crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene/high‐density polyethylene/carbon black ternary composites

The effect of compounding procedure on morphology and crystallization behavior of isotactic polypropylene/high‐density polyethylene/carbon black (iPP/HDPE/CB) composite was investigated. iPP/HDPE/CB composites were prepared by four compounding procedures (A: iPP + HDPE + CB; B: iPP/HDPE + CB; C: HDPE/CB + iPP; D: iPP/CB + HDPE). Scanning electron microscopy observation showed that CB particles are mainly distributed in HDPE in all composites, and the phase morphology of composites was obviously affected by a compounding procedure. The size of the HDPE/CB domains in the composites prepared by procedures A and D decreased with the increase in CB content, whereas that of HDPE/CB in the composites prepared by procedures B and C rarely changed with the increase in CB content. The crystallization behaviors of the composites were significantly affected by their phase morphology, which resulted from the variation of compounding procedure. The isothermal crystallization rate of iPP in the composites prepared by procedures A and D was obviously increased, which may originate from the small HDPE/CB droplets dispersed in the iPP phase. The non‐isothermal crystallization curves of composites prepared by procedure D represented two peaks because the iPP component in these composites had the fastest crystallization rate, whereas the curves of composites prepared by other compounding sequences only exhibited one peak. Moreover, the crystallinity of HDPE almost increased by one time with the incorporation of only 1 phr CB because the CB particles selectively located in the HDPE phase, and the crystallinity of HDPE decreased with the further increase of CB content because of the strong restriction of CB on the HDPE chains. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crystallization and phase morphology of injection‐molded isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/syndiotactic polypropylene (sPP) blends

The crystallization and phase morphology of the injection‐molded isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/syndiotactic polypylenen (sPP) blends were studied, focusing on the difference between the skin layer and core layer. The distribution of crystallinity of PPs in the blends calculated based upon the DSC results shows an adverse situation when compared with that in the neat polymer samples. For 50/50 wt % iPP/sPP blend, the SEM results indicated that a dispersed structure in the skin layer and a cocontinuous structure in the core layer were observed. A migration phenomenon that the sPP component with lower crystallization temperature and viscosity move to the core layer, whereas the iPP component with higher crystallization temperature and viscosity move to the skin layer, occurred in the iPP/sPP blend during injection molding process. The phenomenon of low viscosity content migrate to the low shear zone may be due to the crystallization‐induced demixing based upon the significant difference of crystallization temperature in the sPP and iPP. This migration caused the composition inhomogeneity in the blend and influenced the accuracy of crystallinity calculated based upon the initial composition. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 45: 2948–2955, 2007     

Effect of nucleating agent supported on zeolite via the impregnation on the crystallization ability of isotactic polypropylene and its mechanism

Addition of an α‐nucleating agent is the simple and effective method to increase nucleation efficiency of isotactic polypropylene (iPP). However, severe agglomeration and poor dispersibility of sodium 2,2′‐methylene‐bis(4,6‐di‐tertbutylphenyl) phosphate (NA11) decrease the nucleation efficiency in the iPP, and much more nucleating agent is needed to maintain the nucleating property. As a result, it becomes the key how to decrease the size of NA11 and increase the nucleating property. In this paper, zeolite 4A (Z4A) was firstly supported by NA11 through solution impregnation, and NA11 was dispersed by Z4A depending on the dispersion of zeolite as carrier for the second component. Then, the dispersed NA11 system (NA11‐Z4A) exhibited a superior nucleation behavior during the crystallization of the iPP matrix when it was used with iPP together. The isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization kinetics indicated that the NA11‐Z4A/iPP system had the best crystallization effect. Polarized optical microscopy (POM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses showed that the size of NA11 decreased obviously when it was adsorbed on the surface of Z4A, which leads a better dispersibility of the nucleating agent and thus an accelerated nucleation process in the iPP matrix. In the end, the mechanism for the excellent dispersibility of NA11‐Z4A, which was based on hydrogen bonding between NA11 and Z4A, was confirmed by Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Based on the research work, the solution impregnation strategy can potentially be applied to other systems to inhibit the agglomeration and improve the dispersibility of additives in iPP.     

应力引发官能化EPDM/HDPE及其对PA66/EPDM/HDPE 共混物相形态和力学性能的影响

通过提高双螺杆挤出机螺杆转速的方法,研究了熔融挤出过程中高剪切应力对马来酸酐(MAH)官能化三元乙丙橡胶(EPDM)与高密度聚乙烯(HDPE)共混物的接枝率、熔体流动速率及凝胶含量的影响.随着双螺杆挤出机螺杆转速的增加,强烈的机械剪切应力引发EPDM/HDPE共混物大分子链的断链反应形成大分子自由基,从而引发接枝反应制...     

Thermal and mechanical properties of in situ polymerized PS/EPDM blends

In situ polymerized PS/EPDM blends were prepared by dissolving poly(ethylene-co-propylene-co-2-ethylidene-5-norbornene) (EPDM) in styrene monomer, followed by bulk polymerization at 60 °C and 80 °C . EPDM has excellent resistance to such factors as weather, ozone and oxidation, attributed to its non-conjugated diene component, and it could be a good alternative for substituting polybutadiene-based rubbers in PS toughening. The in situ polymerized blends were characterized by dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, gel permeation chromatography, and tensile and Izod impact resistance tests. The PS/EPDM blends are immiscible and present two phases, a dispersed elastomeric phase (EPDM) in a rigid PS matrix whose phase behavior is strongly affected by the polymerization temperature. Mechanical properties of the blends are influenced by the increase in the average size of EPDM domains with the increase in the polymerization temperature and EPDM content. The blends polymerized at 60 °C containing 5 wt% of EPDM presents an increase in the impact resistance of 80% and containing 17 wt% of EPDM presents an increase in the strain at break of 170% in comparison with the value of PS. The blend polymerized at 80 °C containing 17 wt% of EPDM presents an increase in the strain at break of 480% and in impact resistance of 140% in comparison with the value of PS.     

Phase morphology, crystallisation behaviour and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene/high density polyethylene blends

The phase morphology, crystallisation behaviour and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene (iPP)/high density polyethylene (HDPE) blends were investigated. It was found that the properties are intimately related to each other. The morphology of the blends showed a two phase structure in which the minor phase was dispersed as domains in the major continuous matrix phase. The domain size of the dispersed phase increased with increasing concentration of that phase due to coalescence. It was also found that the domain size of the dispersed phase depends on the viscosity difference between the two phases. For a given HDPE/iPP blend, where HDPE is the matrix and iPP is the dispersed phase, the iPP domains were smaller than HDPE domains of the corresponding iPP/HDPE blend where iPP is the matrix and HDPE is the dispersed phase. A co-continuous morphology was observed at 50/50 PP/HDPE composition. Crystallinity studies revealed that blending has not much effect on the crystalline melting point of polypropylene and high density polyethylene. The crystallisation enthalpy and heat of fusion values of HDPE and PP in the blend were decreased as the amount of the other component increased. The variation in percent crystallinity of HDPE and PP in the blend was found to depend on the morphology of the blend. All the mechanical properties except Young's modulus and hardness showed negative deviation from the additivity line. This is due to the incompatibility of these blends.     

The β‐crystalline form of isotactic polypropylene in blends of isotactic polypropylene and polyamide‐6/clay nanocomposites

Blends of isotactic polypropylene and polyamide‐6/clay nanocomposites (iPP/NPA6) were prepared with an internal batch mixer. A high content of the β‐crystalline form of isotactic polypropylene (β‐iPP) was observed in the injection‐molded samples of the iPP/NPA6 blends, whereas the content of β‐iPP in the iPP/PA6 blends and the iPP/clay composite was low and similar to that of neat iPP. Quiescent melt crystallization was studied by means of wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, and polarized optical microscopy. We found that the significant β‐iPP is not formed during quiescent melt crystallization regardless of whether the sample used was the iPP/NPA6 blend or an NPA6 fiber/iPP composite. Further characterization of the injection‐molded iPP/NPA6 revealed a shear‐induced skin–core distribution of β‐iPP and the formation of β‐iPP in the iPP/NPA6 blends is related to the shear flow field during cavity‐filling. In the presence of clay, the deformation ability of the NPA6 domain is decreased, as evidenced by rheological and morphological studies. It is reasonable that the enhanced relative shear, caused by low deformability of the NPA6 domain in the iPP matrix, is responsible for β‐iPP formation in the iPP/NPA6 blends. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 42: 3428–3438, 2004     

Preparation and characterization of vinyltriethoxysilane grafted ethylene propylene diene terpolymer/linear low density polyethylene (EPDM‐g‐VTES/LLDPE) blends

Graft polymerization of vinyltriethoxysilane (VTES) onto ethylene‐propylene‐diene terpolymer (EPDM) was carried out in toluene using dicumylperoxide (DCP) as initiator. Effects of various parameters (EPDM content, VTES content, reaction time, reaction temperature and initiator concentration) on the grafting efficiency of VTES onto EPDM were investigated. At the optimum grafting efficiency conditions, EPDM‐g‐VTES was developed by melt mixing in a twin screw extruder and then linear (l), statically vulcanized (s) and dynamically vulcanized (d) blends of EPDM‐g‐VTES with linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) with varying percentage compositions were prepared by melt mixing in the twin screw extruder. The grafting of VTES onto EPDM and its crosslinking was confirmed by FT‐IR. The characterization of mechanical properties such as tensile strength, elongation at break, Young's modulus and hardness, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis and morphology were studied and compared for the EPDM‐g‐VTES/LLDPE blends. The study reveals that the dynamically vulcanized blend improves the mechanical and thermal properties due to the presence of efficient interaction between component polymers when compared with other blends. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synergistic effects of cerium phosphate and intumescent flame retardant on EPDM/PP composites

An intumescent flame retardant system composed of ammonium polyphosphate (APP) and pentaerythritol (PER) was used for flame retarding ethylene–propylene–diene‐modified elastomer (EPDM)/polypropylene (PP) blends. Cerium phosphate (CeP) was synthesized and the effect on flame retardancy and thermal stability of EPDM/PP composites based on intumescent flame retardant (IFR) were studied by limiting oxygen index (LOI), UL‐94, and thermogravimetic analysis (TGA), respectively. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry (FTIR) were used to analyze the morphological structure and the component of the residue chars formed from the EPDM/PP composites, and the mechanical properties of the materials were also studied. The addition of CeP to the EPDM/PP/APP/PER composites gives better flame retardancy than that of EPDM/PP/APP/PER composites. TGA and RT‐FTIR studies indicated that an interaction occurs among APP, PER, and EPDM/PP. The incorporation of CeP improved the mechanical properties of the materials. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymer blends based on the β-modification of polypropylene

iPP/sPP, iPP/rPP, iPP/PVDF and iPP/PA-6 blends, and their β-nucleated forms were prepared in the present study. The components of iPP/sPP and iPP/rPP blends are compatible in the molten state. The phase structure of the melt of iPP/PVDF and iPP/PA-6 blends is heterogeneous. The melting and crystallisation characteristics as well as the structure and polymorphic composition of these blends were studied by polarised light microscopy (PLM) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). When semicrystalline polymers are added to iPP, the most important factor of the formation a blend with β-crystalline phase is the α-nucleation effect of the second polymer. In the case of polymers with an α-nucleating effect, the temperature range of their crystallisation should be lower than that of β-iPP. β-nucleated iPP/PVDF and iPP/PA-6 blends are extreme examples showing that completely β-iPP matrix can not form even in the presence of a highly effective β-nucleant, because of the strong α-nucleating ability and higher crystallisation temperature range of PVDF and PA-6. We found that the β-crystallisation tendency of random propylene copolymers can be enhanced by adding an iPP homopolymer.