Fibre formation based toughening in polycarbonate/polyethylene alloy compatibilized with diallyl bisphenol A ether grafted polyethylene

The toughness of polycarbonate/polyethylene (PC/PE) alloy compatibilized wi th o, o'-diallyl bisphenol A ether (DBAE) grafted polyethylene (DBAEgPE) wa s significantly improved in comparison with that of the neat PC/PE alloy an d the additivity value. Especially for the compatibilized alloy at 15 phr o f PC concentration, the impact strength and the critical strain energy rele ase rate (G(1)c) reached 55.0 kJ/m(2) and 1.20 J/mm(2), respectively, compa red to 19.0 kJ/m(2) and 0.18 J/mm(2) for the uncompatibilized alloy. Fibre formation and fracture of the dispersed PC phase were observed for the allo y with high energy absorbing capability through scanning electron microscop e (SEM). Employing a structural diagram, fibre formation based toughening ( FFBT) was put forward and it was attributed to the fibre formation and frac ture which occurred under the influence of the external impact force and th e pressure acting on the dispersed PC particles caused by the difference be tween thermal shrinkage of PC and PE from processing temperature to room te mperature. (C) 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers.