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Study of PET/PP/TiO 2 microfibrillar‐structured composites, part 1: Preparation, morphology, and dynamic mechanical analysis of fibrillized blends
Author(s) -
Li Wenjing,
Schlarb Alois K.,
Evstatiev Michael
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.29993
Subject(s) - polypropylene , materials science , composite material , maleic anhydride , differential scanning calorimetry , nucleation , compatibilization , polymer blend , morphology (biology) , polymer , copolymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , thermodynamics , physics , genetics , biology
Abstract The objective of this study was to manufacture and investigate a novel microfibrillar‐reinforced material based on fibrillized blends of polyethyleneterephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and TiO 2 nanoparticles (300 nm and 15 nm in size). The uncompatibilized and compatibilized blends (polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride as compatibilizer) were extruded and subsequently cold‐drawn into strands with a draw ratio of 10. The effects of compatibilizer and TiO 2 particles on the structure and properties of drawn strands were investigated. Upon addition of compatibilizer, the preferential location of TiO 2 particles shifted from the PET‐dispersed phase to the PP matrix, which brought about different structures of the drawn strands. Differential scanning calorimetry study provided indications for a heterogeneous nucleation effect of the PET fibrils on the PP matrix and of the TiO 2 particles on the PET fibrils. Dynamic mechanical analysis demonstrated that the mechanical properties of the drawn strands are strongly dependent on the strand structures. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009