Influence of electron-induced reactive processing on structure, morphology and nano-mechanical properties of polyamide 6/fluoroelastomer blends

Electron-induced reactive processing (EIReP) is a sustainable and energy effective processing technology to modify polymeric materials in the molten state by its spatial and temporal precise energy input. In the present research, the influence of EIReP on nano-mechanical properties of polyamide 6 (PA6)/fluoroelastomer (FKM) blends (50/50 w/w) was successfully explored using advanced PeakForce quantitative nano-mechanical mapping (PF QNM) atomic force microscopy (AFM) technique. In addition, the influence of EIReP on long period of PA6 lamellae and its crystallinity in the blends was studied using small-and wide-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS and WAXS). The AFM based DMT (Derjaguin-Muller-Toporov) moduli of the matrix phase (PA6) and the dispersed phase (FKM) were found to increase, whereas, adhesion force, dissipation energy and deformation of both phases decreased with increasing dose (12.5-25 kGy). Besides of the different crystallinity of PA6 in blends compared to pure PA6, WAXS experiments have demonstrated that the unit cell dimension c-axis of PA6 was sensitive to the melt blending and EIReP. SAXS provided information about the lamellar morphology of the blend component PA6. Variations in the long period of the PA6 lamellae could be assigned to parameters of melt blending and EIReP (dose) and were correlated with the interaction parameter of the phase components and the crystallinity of the blends. PF QNM AFM and X-ray scattering studies established the relationship between the nanoscale phase structure and properties of EIReP modified rubber-plastic blends. (C) 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.