TOUGHENING OF NYLON-6 WITH A MALEATED CORE-SHELL IMPACT MODIFIER

Super-tough nylon 6 was prepared by using maleic anhydride grafted pol yethylene-octene rubber/semicrystalline polyolefin blend (TPEg) as an impact modifier. The morphology, dynamic mechanical behavior, mechanic al properties, and toughening mechanism were studied. Results indicate that TPEg with a semicrystalline polyolefin core and a polyethylene-o ctane rubber shell, possesses not only a better processability of extr uding and pelletizing with a lower cost, but also an improved tougheni ng effect in comparison with the maleated pure polyethylene-octene rub ber. The shear yielding is the main mechanism of the impact energy dis sipation. In addition, the influence of melt viscosity of nylon 6 on t oughening effectiveness was also investigated. High melt viscosity of matrix is advantageous to the improvement of notched Izod impact stren gth. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.