MORPHOLOGICAL-STUDIES OF POLYAMIDE 1010 POLYPROPYLENE BLENDS/

Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscop y (TEM) were used to examine the morphology of blends of PA1010 and po lypropylene (PP) compatibilized with polypropylene grafted with glycid yl methacrylate (PP-g-GMA). It is found that the morphologies are depe ndent on the content of glycidyl methacrylate in PP-g-GMA and the mixi ng time. The size of the dispersed PP particles decreases as the conte nt of GMA in the PP-g-GMA increases for binary blends of PA1010 and PP -g-GMA. Similar results are obtained for changing the mixing time. Ter nary blends of PA1010, PP, and PP-g-GMA indicate that morphologies dep end on the content of glycidyl metyacrylate in the PP-g-GMA and the mi scibility of PP and PP-g-GMA. By changing the content of GMA in PP-g-G MA, it was possible to introduce significant changes of morphology. A matrix removal TEM method is used to investigate the interfacial struc ture of PA1010/PP blends containing PP-g-GMA as a compatibilizer. This technique shows the reaction product between PA1010 and PP-g-GMA to b e located at interface as a surrounding layer around domain particles. SEM observation on the interface shows that the adhesion between PA10 10 and pure PP is very weak and their interface boundary is sharp. For the samples of PA1010 and PP-g-GMA, it was found that the interface w as not so obvious, and the reaction between PA1010 and PP-g-GMA streng thens the interface significantly. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.