MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE POLYAMIDE-6 BLENDS - EFFECT OFMANUFACTURING PROCESSES AND COMPATIBILIZATION

The properties of polypropylene (PP)/polyamide 6 (PA) blends, obtained by the following two different blending methods, were investigated. B lends of PP/PA and PP/PA/maleic anhydride have been prepared using a t win screw extruder and a fiber cutting, flying and mixing apparatus th at directly commingles PP fiber and PA fiber. The properties measured include rheological properties by means of a capillary rheometer, morp hologies by scanning electron microscopy, and mechanical properties by a universal testing machine and a high rate impact tester. In the pre sence of compatibilizer, a marked dispersibility of the polymer blends of PP and PA was observed, and mechanical properties were found to in crease as a result of improvement of the interfacial adhesion and the dispersibility. The properties of PP/PA blends manufactured by two dif ferent pieces of equipment were shown to be similar in the case of mel ting both resins. But in particular, superior impact properties were o btained in blends not melting PA fibers as a dispersed phase rather th an blends using maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) as a compatibilizer.