Effect of Compatibilizers on the Morphological, Mechanical and Rheological Properties of PP/PCL and TPO/PCL Blends

The effects of compatibilizers on the mechanical and rheological properties of PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends have been studied. The thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) consists of PP (80 wt%), EPDM (15 wt%) and Talc (5 wt%). Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) and maleic anhydride grafted styrene-(ethylene-co-butene)-styrene copolymer (SEBS-g-MAH) were used as compatibilizers. In mechanical properties of PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends, tensile strength was increased when PP-g-MAH was used as a compatibilizer, and impact strength was increased when SEBS-g-MAH was used as a compatibilizer. From the results of SEM morphology of PP/PCL blend, PCL droplet size was decreased by the addition of PP-g-MAH. From the results of rheological property, complex viscosity of the PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends did not change appreciably when the compatibilizers were added. From the results of mechanical, morphological and rheological properties of the blends, PP-g-MAH acted as a compatibilizer to increase the tensile strength of the PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends. While SEBS-g-MAH acted as a impact modifier to increase the impact strength of the PP/PCL and TPO/PCL blends.