A NEW TECHNIQUE FOR THE COMPATIBILIZATION OF POLYETHYLENE POLYSTYRENEBLENDS/

This work focuses on a new approach to compatibilize immiscible polyme r blends and is related to mixed plastic wastes. The technique involve s using a vector fluid to carry a reactive ingredient to the interface of an incompatible blend to form in-situ grafts during blending. The model system of polyethylene/polystyrene, PE/PS, was studied using a s eries of vector fluids and a peroxide. Evidence of interfacial reactio n was obtained by extracting and characterizing graft copolymer from t he blend and observing the morphology with SEM. Levels as high as 3% s tyrene were found bound to the PE using an organofunctional silane com pound as the vector fluid. Somewhat lower levels were observed using s tyrene, para-chlorostyrene and low molecular weight polybutadiene. A v ector fluid that has low viscosity, is insoluble, non-reactive, and no n-fugitive, appears to be most effective in directing a reactive ingre dient to the interface. Monomeric vector fluids which can interpenetra te one phase also influence the interfacial reactions and morphology.