0000000000041389
AUTHOR
Liliya Minkova
Compatibilization of blends of polyethylene with a semirigid liquid crystalline polymer by PE-g-LCP copolymers
The blends of thermoplastics with liquid crystalline polymers show, in general, poor properties because of the lack of adherence between the two phases. The use of ad hoc synthesized copolymers containing the monomer units of the two polymers has been recently considered by some of us for blend compatibilization, and the results appear promising. In this work, new PE-g-LCP copolymers, prepared either by the synthesis of the LCP in the presence of a functionalized PE, or by reactive blending of the latter polymer with preformed LCP, have been employed as compatibilizing additives for blends of PE with a semirigid LCP. The morphology and the rheological and mechanical properties of the ternar…
Synthesis of PP-LCP graft copolymers and their compatibilizing activity for PP/LCP blends
The aim of this work was the synthesis of new graft copolymers consisting of polypropylene (PP) backbones and liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) branches, to be used as compatibilizing agents for PP/LCP blends. The PP-g-LCP copolymers have been prepared by polycondensation of the monomers of a semiflexible liquid crystalline polyester (SBH 1 : 1 : 2), that is, sebacic acid (S), 4,4′-dihydroxybiphenyl (B), and 4-hydroxybenzoic acid (H) in the mole ratio of 1 : 1 : 2, carried out in the presence of appropriate amounts of a commercial acrylic-acid-functionalized polypropylene (PPAA). The polycondensation products, referred to as COPP50 and COPP70, having a calculated PPAA concentration of 50 and…
Morphology and Rheology of HDPE/LCP Blends Compatibilized by a Novel PE-g-LCP Copolymer
A novel graft copolymer (PE-g-LCP) consisting of polyethylene (PE) backbones and liquid crystalline polymer (LCP) branches was synthesized via reactive blending of an acrylic acid-functionalized PE (Escor 5000 by Exxon) with a semiflexible LCP (SBH 1 : 1 : 2 by Eniricerche S.p.A.). The crude reactive blending product (COP) was shown by investigation of the fractions soluble in boiling toluene and xylene and of the residue to contain unreacted Escor and SBH, together with the graft copolymer forming the interphase. The compatibilizing activity of COP for PE/SBH blends, compared to that of pure Escor, was investigated using two PE grades. The COP addition into 80/20 PE/SBH blends caused a muc…
Comparative Study of Different Maleic Anhydride Grafted Compatibilizer Precursors toward LDPE/PA6 Blends: Morphology and Mechanical Properties
The study deals with the effectiveness of maleic anhydride grafted styrene-b-ethylene-co-propylene copolymer (SEPMA) as compatibilizer precursor (CP) for blends of low density polyethylene (LDPE) with polyamide-6 (PA). The CP was produced by grafting MA onto SEP in the melt. The specific interactions between the CP and the blends components have been investigated through characterizations of the binary LDPE/CP and PA/CP blends. The compatibilizing efficiency of the MA-grafted SEP, as revealed by the thermal properties and the morphology of the compatibilized blends, has been shown to be excellent. The morphology, as well as the mechanical properties of the compatibilized with SEPMA 75/25 w/…
Effect of the Components Molar Mass and of the Mixing Conditions on the Compatibilization of PE/LCP Blends by PE-g-LCP Copolymers
The rheology, morphology, and mechanical properties of blends of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with a semiflexible liquid crystalline copolyester (SBH) were studied in order to assess the compatibilizing ability of added PE-g-SBH copolymers, and its dependence on the molar mass of the PE matrix, and on the technique used for blend preparation. The PE-g-SBH copolymers were synthesized as described in previous articles, either by the polycondensation of the SBH monomers in the presence of a functionalized PE sample containing free carboxyl groups, or by reactive blending of the latter polymer with preformed SBH. Two samples of HDPE having different molar masses, and two samples of SBH with…
Morphology of nanocomposites from ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers
AbstractNew nanocomposites have been prepared by melt-compounding from commercial ethylene-acrylic acid copolymers (EAA) of different molar mass, molecular structure (branched or linear) and AA concentration, and a Zn-ionomer, with three commercial clays containing different proportions of the same organic modifier (dimethyldi(hydrogenated tallow)ammonium ion). Their morphology has been preliminarily investigated by X-ray scattering and transmission electron microscopy. The nanocomposites showed disordered intercalated morphology, with an expansion of the average gallery height, which appears to depend quite strongly on the molecular architecture of the EAA, whereas the other investigated v…
Organoclay Nanocomposites from Ethylene-Acrylic Acid Copolymers
A study of the structure–property relationships for nanocomposites prepared by melt compounding from ethylene–acrylic acid copolymers of varied composition and molecular architecture, and organoclays modified with different ammonium ions has been made by DSC, POM, SEM, TEM, WAXD, and rheological and mechanical tests. Within the series of clays investigated, the best levels of dispersion were displayed by those organically modified with quaternary ammonium ions containing two long alkyl tails. The relevant nanocomposites were shown to possess mixed exfoliated and intercalated morphology. The spacing of the intercalated clay stacks, most of which comprise few silicate layers, was found to be …
Reactive blending of a functionalized polyethylene with a semiflexible liquid crystalline copolyester
Reactive blends (50/50 w/w) of a low molar mass polyethylene containing free carboxylic groups (PEox) and a semiflexible liquid crystalline polyester (SBH 1 : 1 : 2, by Eniricerche) have been prepared at 240 degrees C in a Brabender mixer, in the presence of Ti(OBu)(4) catalyst, for different mixing times (15, 60, and 120 min). In order to prove the formation of a PE-g-SBH copolymer, the blends have been fractionated by successive extractions with boiling toluene and xylene. The soluble fractions and the residues have been analyzed by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, thermogravimetry (TG and DTG), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM)…
Rheological behavior and thermal stability of poly(phenylene sulfide)/vectra-B950 blends
Blends of polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) with a commercial, wholly aromatic, liquid crystalline polymer (LCP), Vectra-B950, have been prepared by melt-blending. Their rheological behavior has been studied in order to determine if the LCP displays a processing aid ability, and under what conditions it gives rise to potentially reinforcing fibrils dispersed in the PPS matrix. The problem of the thermal stability of PPS/LCP blends, which has been considered by some authors as the main obstacle to the production of usable materials due to the evolution of gaseous substances during processing, has been discussed. © 1994 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.