Structure and morphology of a novel ethylene-propylene copolymer and its blends with poly(propylene)

The structure and morphology of a commercial heterogeneous poly(ethylene-co -propylene) system (Adflex C202G) and its blends with poly(propylene) (PP) were investigated. Adflex is a complex mixture of copolymers with various C -2/C-3 ratio. Three components showing different solubility in xylene were separated by fractionation. Physical and chemical analyses of Adflex and of its various fractions suggest that Adflex consists of a semi-crystalline C -3-rich phase and a less crystalline C-2-rich phase containing spherical pa rticles with an essentially amorphous interphase. In PP-Adflex blends, inte ractions between PP molecules and Adflex are evidenced by thermal analysis. Morphological studies of the blends show a spherulitic structure in the fr actions containing at least 60% of PP.