Synthesis of PP-g-MAH and evaluation of its effect on the properties of glass fibre reinforced nylon 6/polypropylene blends

Polymer blends based on polyolefins constitute materials of a great interest owing to their broad spectrum of properties and practical applications. However, due to the poor compatibility of the components, most of these systems are generally characterized by high interfacial tension, low degree of dispersion and poor mechanical properties. It is generally accepted that PP and Nylon 6 are not compatible and that blending of these materials results in poor properties. This compatibility can be improved by the addition of a compatibilizer. In this study, the PP is first functionalised by Maleic Anhydride (MAH) in the presence of an optimized amount of Dicumyl peroxide (DCP). The reaction was carried out in the molten state using an internal mixer. Then, once the compatibilizer (PP-g-MAH) was prepared, it was added at a various concentration (2.5 - 10 wt.%) to 30/70 Glass Fiber Reinforced Nylon 6 (GFRN6)/PP and their mechanical properties are evaluated. It has been found that the incorporation of the compatibilizer enhances the tensile properties (tensile strength and the modulus) as well as the izod impact properties of the notched samples. This was attributed to better interfacial adhesion as evidenced by SEM. The optimum in these properties is reached at a critical PP-g-MAH concentration (5 wt.%).