Development of morphology in nylon 6-polypropylene blends

The morphology of polymer blends is an important factor in controlling its processing behavior and its end use. An important parameter during development of morphology is the extent of miscibility between the components. The thermodynamics of polymers does not permit miscibility to significant extents. Compatibilizing two or more polymers by the addition of an external agent or carrying out an insitu reaction is a common technique. It is said that the main mechanism responsible for promoting compatibilization is the reduction in interfacial tension Gamma between the individual components. Studies have been carried out on the effect of addition of an external agent on the interfacial tension, however such information for reactive systems is scarce. It is the purpose of this paper to study the effect of an in-situ reaction between two polymers on the interfacial tension between them. Conclusions have also been made about the effect of reaction being carried out at the interface on the rheological behavior of the blend.