Combined effect of compatibilizer and carbon nanotubes on the morphology and electrical conductivity of PP/PS blend

In this work, maleic anhydride grafted styrene–ethylene–butadiene–styrene copolymer (SEBS‐g‐MA) and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced into the immiscible polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blend. Among the three polymer components, SEBS‐g‐MA has the strongest affinity to CNTs; thus, it exhibits dual effects to adjust the phase morphology of the blends and the dispersion state of CNTs in the blends. The experimental observations obtained from morphology characterizations using scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope confirm the selective localization of CNTs at the interface of the immiscible PP/PS blend. As a consequence, largely decreased percolation threshold is achieved when most of CNTs are selectively localized at the interface region between PP and PS. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nanostructured carbon black filled polypropylene/polystyrene blends containing styrene-butadiene-styrene copolymer: Influence of morphology on electrical resistivity

This paper is part of a comprehensive study on using selective localization of carbon black (CB) at the interface of immiscible polymer blends in order to reduce the percolation threshold concentration and enhance the conductivity of the blends. CB was successfully localized at the interface of polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blend by introducing styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) tri-block copolymer to the blend. In CB-PP/PS/SBS blends, CB has higher affinity for the polybutadiene (PBD) section of the SBS copolymer, whereas in CB-PP/PS blends, CB prefers the PS phase. PP/PS interface is one of the preferred locations for the SBS copolymer in the (PP/PS) blend; at which the PBD section of the SBS copolymer forms a few nanometers thick layer able to accommodate the CB nano-particles. The influence of SBS addition on the morphology and electrical properties of various PP/PS blends filled with 1 vol% CB were studied. SBS influence on the conductivity of PP/PS blends was found to be a function of the PP/PS volume ratio and SBS loading. The most dramatic increase in conductivity was found in the (60/40) and (70/30) PP/PS blends upon the addition of 5 vol% SBS. 5 vol% SBS was found to be the optimum loading for most blends. Using 10 vol% of SBS was reported to deteriorate electrical conductivity of the conductive co-continuous PP/PS blends. For all blends studied, SBS addition was found to compatibilize the blends. Finer morphologies were obtained by increasing SBS loading.     

Compatabilization of polystyrene/polypropylene blends by styrene–butadiene block copolymers with differing polystyrene block lengths

Compatibilization of polystyrene/polypropylene (PS/PP) blends, by use of a series of butadiene–styrene block copolymers was studied by means of small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The compatibilizers used differ in molar mass and the number of blocks. It was shown that the ability of a block copolymer (BC) to participate in the formation of an interfacial layer (and hence in compatibilization) is closely associated with the molar mass of styrene blocks. If the styrene blocks are long enough to form entanglements with the styrene homopolymer in the melt, then the BC is trapped inside this phase of the PS/PP blends, and its migration to the PS/PP interface is difficult. In this case, the BC does not participate in the formation of the interfacial layer nor, consequently, in the compatibilization process. On the other hand, the BC's with the molar mass of the PS blocks below the critical value are proved to be localized at the PS/PP interface. This preferable entrapping of some styrene–butadiene BC's in the PS phase of the PS/PP blend is, of course, connected to the differing miscibility of the BC blocks with corresponding components of this blend. Although the styrene block is chemically identical to the styrene homopolymer in the blend, the butadiene block is similar to the PP phase. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 37: 1647–1656, 1999     

Preparation of microcellular polypropylene/polystyrene blend foams with tunable cell structure

By using supercritical carbon dioxide (sc‐CO₂) as the physical foaming agent, microcellular foaming was carried out in a batch process from a wide range of immiscible polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends with 10–70 wt% PS. The blends were prepared via melt processing in a twin‐screw extruder. The cell structure, cell size, and cell density of foamed PP/PS blends were investigated and explained by combining the blend phase morphology and morphological parameters with the foaming principle. It was demonstrated that all PP/PS blends exhibit much dramatically improved foamability than the PP, and significantly decreased cell size and obviously increased cell density than the PS. Moreover, the cell structure can be tunable via changing the blend composition. Foamed PP/PS blends with up to 30 wt% PS exhibit a closed‐cell structure. Among them, foamed PP/PS 90:10 and 80:20 blends have very small mean cell diameter (0.4 and 0.7 µm) and high cell density (8.3 × 10¹¹ and 6.4 × 10¹¹ cells/cm³). Both of blends exhibit nonuniform cell structure, in which most of small cells spread as “a string of beads.” Foamed PP/PS 70:30 blend shows the most uniform cell structure. Increase in the PS content to 50 wt% and especially 70 wt% transforms it to an irregular open‐cell structure. The cell structure of foamed PP/PS blends is strongly related to the blend phase morphology and the solubility of CO₂ in PP more than that in PS, which makes the PP serve as a CO₂ reservoir. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Tailoring of interface of polypropylene/polystyrene/carbon nanofibre composites by polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene

Mechanical and physical properties of polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) blend, PP/PS/polystyrene-block-poly(ethylene-ran-butylene)-block-polystyrene (SEBS) ternary blend and their composites with carbon nanofibers (CNF) were investigated. Composites of ternary blend exhibited superior properties compared to those of binary blends. Mechanical performance of nanocomposites was intimately related to their phase morphology. PP/PS/SEBS/0.1 wt% CNF hybrid composites exhibited excellent impact strength (Four-fold increase compared to PP/PS blend) and ductility (12-fold increase in elongation at break, with respect to PP/PS blend). Moreover, these composites displayed good tensile strength and modulus (15% increase in Young's modulus, compared to PP/PS/SEBS blend) and are suitable for various end-use applications including automobile applications. Although crystallinity of PP phase is decreased by the incorporation of CNF, thermal stability of the composites remained almost unaffected. Contact angle measurements revealed that ternary composites exhibited maximum hydrophobicity.     

Modification of PP by blending with PS and reactive polymers

In this paper a polypropylene (PP) resin with controlled rheology was selected as polymer matrix and modified by melt mixing with polystyrene (PS) which has certain processing compatibility with PP. The effect of the addition of polyperoxide (PPX), peroxide modified PS particles (PS‐PPX), and maleic anhydride (MAH) to the PP/PS blend during melt mixing on the rheological behavior and morphology of the PP/PS blends has been carefully studied.     

Synthesis and characterization of polyethylene‐g‐polystyrene as the compatibilizer for polypropylene/ Polystyrene blends

Polyethylene‐g‐polystyrene (PE‐g‐PS) was synthesized as a compatibilizer for polypropylene/polystyrene­(PP/PS) blends by the living radical polymerization of styrene with polyethylene‐co‐glycidylmethacrylate (PE‐co‐GMA). The compatibilizer effect of PE‐g‐PS on the morphology and thermal properties of PP/PS blends was investigated. The crystalline temperature of PP in PP/PS blends decreased with increasing PE‐g‐PS contents. Morphologies of PP/PE‐g‐PS/PS blends showed much better dispersion of each domain for higher PE‐g‐PS contents. The molecular weight of PS segment in PP/PE‐g‐PS/PS blend was increased by addition of styrene monomer during the post melt blending process where post living radical polymerization reaction proceeded. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of Reactive Compatibilization on the Morphology of Polypropylene/Polystyrene Blends

To study the efficiency of different mechanisms for reactive compatibilization of polypropylene/polystyrene blends (PP/PS blends), main chain or terminal-functionalized PP and terminal-functionalized PS have been synthesized by different methods. While the in-situ block and graft copolymer formation results in finer phase morphologies compared to the corresponding non-reactive blends, the morphology development in the ternary blend system PP/PS + HBP (hyperbranched polymer) is a very complex process. HBP with carboxylic acid end groups reacts preferably with the reactive sites of the oxazoline functionalized PS (PS-Ox) and locates mainly within the dispersed PS-Ox phase. A bimodal size distribution of the PS-Ox particles within the oxazoline modified PP (PP-Ox) matrix phase is observed with big PS-Ox particles (containing the HBP as dispersed phase) and small PS-Ox particles similar in size to the unimodal distributed particles in the non-reactive PP-Ox/PS-Ox blends. Factors influencing the morphology are discussed.     

Morphology of reactive PP/PS blends with hyperbranched polymers

To study the efficiency of different mechanism for reactive compatibilization of polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends main chain or terminal functionalized PP and terminal functionalized PS have been synthesized by different methods. While the in-situ block and graft copolymer formation results in finer phase morphologies compared to the corresponding non-reactive blends, the morphology development in the ternary blend system PP/PS + HBP (hyperbranched polymer) is a very complex process. HBP with carboxylic acid endgroups reacts preferably with the reactive sites of the oxazoline functionalized PS (PS-Ox) and locates mainly within the dispersed PS-Ox phase. A bimodal size distribution of the PS-Ox particles within the oxazoline modified PP (PP-Ox) matrix phase is observed with big PS-Ox particles (containing the HBP as dispersed phase) and small PS-Ox particles similar in size like the unimodal distributed particles in the non-reactive PP-Ox/PS-Ox blends. Factors influencing the morphology are discussed.     

Large impact in electrical properties of polypropylene by improving the filler-matrix interface effect in PP/PS blends

Inorganic nanoparticles are widely used to improve space charge behavior, DC breakdown strength and other electrical properties of polymer insulating materials, but the uniform distribution of inorganic nanofillers in matrix is difficult due to their agglomeration and bad compatibility with the polymeric matrix. In this paper, polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) blends were prepared to suppress space charge accumulation and improve DC breakdown strength. Polypropylene-g-polystyrene (PP-g-PS) graft copolymer was used as compatibilizer to improve the compatibility of PP matrix and PS filler. The evolution of microstructure of PP/PS blends were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), the space charge distributions were measured by a pulsed electro-acoustic (PEA) system, and DC breakdown strength was also tested. The morphologies show that the size of PS particles reduced to 310 nm when the content of PP-g-PS graft copolymer increased to 24 wt%, and the interaction between PP matrix and PS particles enhanced. The presence of PS particles in all PP/PS blends suppressed the space charge accumulation compared to neat PP, but the DC breakdown strength in uncompatibilized blend was lower than neat PP. The increasing of content of PP-g-PS improved the DC breakdown strength with the maximum value of 408.9 kV/mm was obtained. This may attribute to excellent interface structure formed between PP matrix and PS particles.     

Photooxidation of blends of polystyrene and poly (vinyl methyl ether)

Photooxidation of blends of polystyrene and poly (vinyl methyl ether) was studied at 30°C. The oxygen uptake by PS was negligible but PVME oxidized readily. The induction period of oxidation of PVME was prolonged by the presence of PS. The steady state rate of oxidation of the blend was strongly influenced by the segmental mobility of the blend which also governed the kinetics and morphology of phase separation. The molecular weight of PVME decreased more slowly in the blend as PS content increased. It was believed that the reaction between PVME radicals and PS resulted in less reactive PS radicals which retarded oxidation. The PS radicals eventually underwent chain scission reactions.     

PP/PS共混体系相结构形成与演变

以连续共混过程中间歇出料法研究了聚丙烯(PP)/聚苯乙烯(PS)体系共混过程中的扫描电镜图样演化过程,利用小角激光散射(SALS)证明了PP/苯乙烯-乙烯-丙烯嵌段共聚物(SEP)/PS体系的部分相容性,同时说明SALS研究聚合物熔体动态过程的有效性.针对扫描电镜图样,用重心粒径dg这一结构参数研究了PP/PS体系共混过程,利用分布函数求取了分散相PP分形维数,对共混过程中相分散进行了研究.     

Foaming behavior of polypropylene/polystyrene blends enhanced by improved interfacial compatibility

A series of polypropylene (PP)/polystyrene (PS) blends were prepared by solvent blending with PS‐grafted PP copolymers (PP‐g‐PS) having different PS graft chain length as compatibilizers. The interfacial compatibility was significantly improved with increasing PS graft chain length until the interface was saturated at PS graft chain length being 3.29 × 10³ g/mol. The blends were foamed by using pressure‐quenching process and supercritical CO₂ as the blowing agent. The cell preferentially formed at compatibilized interface because of low energy barrier for nucleation. Combining with the increased interfacial area, the compatibilized interface lead to the foams with increased cell density compared to the uncompatibilized one. The increase in interfacial compatibility also decreased the escape of gas, held more gas for cell growth, and facilitated the increase in expansion ratio of PP/PS blend foams. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 46: 1641–1651, 2008     

Settling the question of optimum concentration and methodology used for adding an antioxidant to PS/PP polyblend

The method of addition of antioxidants to immiscible polymer blends can influence the end use performance of a polyblend artifact. This work is aimed at determining the most suitable procedure for adding antioxidants to a polystyrene (PS)‐polypropylene (PP) blend (80/20), and its optimum concentration using three different methodologies. The effects of UV exposure on mechanical properties of the polyblends were examined. Results show that both the method of addition and concentration of the antioxidant do not alter mechanical properties, nevertheless, a concentration of 0.1% w/w is recommended.     

Morphology of Compatibilized Ternary Blends

In this work, the evolution of the morphology of polypropylene/polystyrene/poly(methyl metacrylate) (PP/PS/PMMA) blends to which graft copolymers polypropylene-graft-polystyrene (PP-g-PS) of 2 compositions (55/45 and 70/30), polypropylene-graft-poly(methyl metacrylate) (PP-g-PMMA), or styrene-block-(ethylene- co-butadiene)-block-styrene (SEBS) was added has been studied. The ternary blends morphologies were predicted using phenomenological models that predict the morphology of ternary blends as a function of the interfacial tension between the blend components (spreading coefficient and free energy minimization). All blends studied presented a core-shell morphology with PS as shell and PMMA as core. The addition of PP-g-PS or SEBS resulted in a reduction of the size of the PS shell phase and, the addition of PP-g-PMMA did not seem to have any effect on the diameter of PMMA. The difference observed between the different morphologies relied on the number of droplets of core within the shell. All the phenomenological models predictions corroborated the experimental results, except when PP-g-PMMA was added to the blend.     

Raman microspectroscopic mapping: a tool for the characterisation of polymer surfaces

Raman mapping by point illumination of polymer surfaces is discussed with examples taken from the plasma treatment of polypropylene (PP) and subsequent grafting of polystyrene (PS). Maps can be constructed for surface properties such as crystallinity, blend components and distribution of grafted PS. The Raman sampling volume was estimated for confocal operation using a 50x objective lens.     

Compatibilization efficiency of styrene–butadiene multiblock copolymers in PS/PP blends

The compatibilizing effect of di‐, tri‐, penta‐, and heptablock (two types) copolymers with styrene and butadiene blocks was studied in polystyrene/polypropylene (PS/PP) 4/1 blends. The structure of PS/PP blends with the addition of 5 or 10 wt % of a block copolymer (BC) was determined on several scale levels by means of transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and small‐angle X‐ray scattering (SAXS). The results of the structure analysis were correlated with measured stress‐transfer properties: elongation at break, impact, and tensile strength. Despite the fact that the molar mass of the PS blocks in all the BCs used was about 10,000, that is, below the critical value M^* (～18,000) necessary for the formation of entanglements of PS chains, all the BCs used were found to be good compatibilizers. According to TEM, a certain amount of a BC is localized at the interface in all the analyzed samples, and this results in a finer dispersion of the PP particles in the PS matrix, the effect being more pronounced with S‐B‐S triblock and S‐B‐S‐B‐S pentablock copolymers. The addition of these two BCs to the PS/PP blend also has the most pronounced effect on the improvement of mechanical properties of these blends. Hence, these two BCs can be assumed to be better compatibilizers for the PS/PP (4/1) blend than the S‐B diblock as well as both S‐B‐S‐B‐S‐B‐S and B‐S‐B‐S‐B‐S‐B heptablock copolymers. In both types of PS/PP/BC blends (5 or 10 wt % BC), the BC added was distributed between both the PS/PP interface and the PS phase, and, according to SAXS, it maintained a more or less ordered supermolecular structure of neat BCs. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym Sci B: Polym Phys 39: 931–942, 2001     

SEP对PP/PS共混物的增容作用

研究了苯乙烯 -乙烯 /丙烯二嵌段共聚物 (SEP)对聚丙烯 /聚苯乙烯 (PP/PS)共混物的形态和力学性能的影响。结果表明 ,SEP在PP/PS共混物中作为增容剂 ,降低了分散相的聚结 ,减小了分散相的平均粒子尺寸 ,大大改变了共混物的形态 ,提高了共混物的力学性能 ,对PP/PS( 2 0 /80 )共混物的增容作用较为显著     

EFFECTS OF STYRENE-ETHYLENE/PROPYLENE DIBLOCK COPOLYMER (SEP) ON THE COMPATIBILIZATION OF PP/PS BLENDS

The effects of styrene-ethylene/propylene (SEP) diblock copolymer on the morphology and mechanical propertiesof polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends were investigated. The results showed that SEP diblock copolymer, acting as acompatibilizer in PP/PS immiscible blends, can diminish the coalescence of the dispersed particles, reduce their averageparticle size, change their phase morphologies significantly, and increase the mechanical properties. It was found that SEP has better compatibilization effects on the PP/PS (20/80) blends.     

Interfacial effect on photo-oxidation of PP via model blends

The interface in multiphase material plays an important role not only in mechanical properties, but also in aging behavior. This article uses polypropylene/polymethyl methacrylate (PP/PMMA) and polypropylene/polystyrene (PP/PS) blends (PMMA and PS as dispersion phase) as models to investigate the interfacial effect on the photo-oxidative aging of PP. The chemical property and stability of dispersed phase could make big difference on aging behavior of PP. PMMA, with polar functional group at the interface, accelerated the photo-oxidation of PP, while PS, with inert functional group at the interface, had little influence. Both the dispersion phases have little effects on crystallization of PP and the oxygen diffusion. The photo degradation product of PMMA could help to initiate or accelerate aging of PP mainly via free radicals transfer. Grafting reaction happened in the interface and the interfacial cohesion of PP and PMMA enhanced thereby.