Effect of mixing device and temperature on phase structure of neat and compatibilised polypropylene-polystyrene blends

Development of the phase structure in polypropylene-polystyrene (PP-PS) and polypropylene-polystyrene-copoly(styrene/butadiene/styrene) (PP-PS-SBS) bl ends during mixing in the chamber of a Brabender Plasticorder and in a micr oextruder has been studied. It was shown that a non-uniform phase structure in PP-PS and PP-PS-SBS blends is produced in both the mixers. An admixture of SBS does not lead to a substantial increase in the phase structure unif ormity but it decreases the average size of dispersed particles. The differ ence between the size of dispersed particles in PP-PS and PP-PS-SBS blends is a function of the mixing time, temperature, and type of mixing device.