Characterization of blends with polyamide 6 and ethylene acrylic acid copolymers at different acrylic acid content

In this work the morphological, calorimetric, rheological and mechanical be haviour and fourier transmission infrared analysis of blends made with poly amide 6 (PA6) and ethylene acrylic acid copolymers (EAA) containing differe nt amount of acrylic acid were investigated. The results observed from the sample characterizations evidenced as acrylic acid cause a compatibilizing effect between polyethylene and polyamide components with modifications of blends morphology and mechanical behaviour. These effects are enhanced with increase of the acrylic acid content in the copolymer and they were attrib uted generally to hydrogen bond interactions among the acrylic acid group a nd the functional groups of the polyamide. A more significant compatibiliza tion phenomenon is obtained in blends containing higher amino terminal grou p concentration in the polyamide suggesting that these functional groups in teract better with acrylic groups of the copolymer than the carboxylic ones . (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.