Yield behavior of PP/CaC0 3 and PP/Mg(OH) 2 composites. II: Enhanced interfacial adhesion

Effects of the variation of adhesion strength σ A on the tensile yield behavior of particulate filled polypropylene (PP) were investigated. To enhance adhesion of PP toward calcium carbonate (CaCO 3 ) and magnesium hydroxide (Mg(OH) 2 ), maleated PP (MPP) was added to PP in various ratios. σ A varied from 10‐46 MPa. σ A calculated from the Leidner‐Woodhams model are in good agreement with SEM micrographs of the composite fracture surfaces. Dependences σ yc vs. σ A , at constant V f = 0.18, were investigated and analyzed in terms of existing models. Using the Turczanyi, Pukanszky, Tüdös model (TPT) for the PP/CaCO 3 composite, an effective interlayer “thickness” ( t eff ) and the yield stress of the immobilized PP (σ yi ) were calculated. Both t eff and σ yi increased with enhancing of the adhesion.