Linear viscoelastic behavior of compatibilized PMMA/PP blends

Abstract

In this work, the morphology and linear viscoelastic behavior of PMMA/PP blends to which a graft copolymer PP-g-PMMA has been added was studied. The copolymer concentration varied from 1 to 10 wt % relative to the dispersed phase concentration. The rheological data were used to infer the interfacial tension between the blended components. It was observed that PP-g-PMMA was effective as a compatibilizer for PMMA/PP blends. For PP-g-PMMA concentration added below the critical concentration of interface saturation, two rheological behaviors were observed depending on the blend concentration: for 70/30 blend, the storage modulus, at low frequencies, increased as compared to the one of the unmodified blend; for 90/10 blend, it decreased. For 90/10 blend, the relaxation spectrum presented an interfacial relaxation time related to the presence of the compatibilizer (τβ). For PP-g-PMMA concentrations added above the critical concentration of interface saturation, the storage modulus of all blends increased as compared with the one of the unmodified blend. Copyright © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.