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Reactive Compatibilization of PBT/EVA Blends with an Ethylene‐Acrylic Acid Copolymer and a Low Molar Mass Bis‐Oxazoline
Author(s) -
Scaffaro Roberto,
La Mantia Francesco P.,
Castronovo Claudia
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
macromolecular chemistry and physics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.57
H-Index - 112
eISSN - 1521-3935
pISSN - 1022-1352
DOI - 10.1002/macp.200400059
Subject(s) - copolymer , materials science , compatibilization , molar mass , polymer chemistry , morphology (biology) , acrylic acid , ethylene , oxazoline , polymer blend , chemical engineering , composite material , polymer , organic chemistry , chemistry , catalysis , biology , engineering , genetics
Summary: Polyesters and polyolefins form highly incompatible blends with poor properties and gross morphology that hinder any practical applications. In this work, the possibility to compatibilize an incompatible blend of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) with ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) by adding a bis‐oxazoline compound, 2,2′‐(1,3‐phenylene)‐bis(2‐oxazoline) (PBO), and an ethylene acrylic acid copolymer (EAA) as compatibilizer precursors has been studied. The results indicate that the binary uncompatibilized blends show poor mechanical properties and a bad morphology with scarce adhesion between the phases. The situation is only slightly improved when the EAA is added while the best performance is achieved when quaternary PBT/EVA/EAA/PBO blends are prepared. In this latter case the elongation at break and the impact strength are doubled and the morphology is deeply improved. The formation of EAA‐ g ‐(PBO)PBT copolymers in the presence of PBO can be invoked to explain the results and it is demonstrated that the eventual chain extension of PBT or EAA is negligible.SEM micrograph of a quaternary PBT/EVA/EAA/PBO blend.