The compatibilizing effect of maleic anhydride in ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA)/ethylene-α-olefin copolymers blends

The compatibilizing effect of maleic anhydride (MA) in the immiscible blends of EVA22 (vinyl acetate content 22%)/ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers with 1-butene (EtBC) and 1-octene (EtOC)) comonomers was studied. By adding 1, 2, and 3 phr of MA in the presence of dicumylperoxide, the morphology, tensile strength at break, and 100 and 300% modulus of EVA22/EtBC and EVA22/EtOC blends were significantly enhanced. The melting point and crystallization point depression were observed upon the addition of MA. The changes in the 8 transition and glass transition temperature of ethylene-alpha-olefin copolymers and ethylene-vinyl acetate copolymers, respectively, indicate that MA plays a role of compatibilizer for these immiscible blends. The TGA thermograms, measured from the blends with MA, show that thermal stability is slightly enhanced with MA, indicating that MA acts as a reinforcing agent either by grafting or crosslinking with other copolymers.