Reactive Polyolefin Elastomer/Polypropylene Blends
Department
of Chemical Engineering
Queen’s
University
Abstract
Reactive
modification of polyolefin elastomer/polypropylene
(PP) blends using an organic peroxide initiator is investigated. In the
presence of a polyolefin elastomer matrix the crosslinking reaction dominates over the degradation of PP.
Partition of the peroxide in the two phases and crosslink density depend highly
on the method of incorporation of peroxide during compounding.
Crosslinking of the elastomeric
phase results in substantially higher viscoelastic
properties compared to the unreactive blend and an
elastic-like response, as well as enhanced stiffness compared to the uncrosslinked compound. Reactive modification provides a
means for generating very fine phase morphology, due to efficient stress
transfer to the dispersed phase by the viscous matrix.
Keywords: Thermoplastic vulcanizates, Thermoplastic olefins, Polypropylene, Polyolefin elastomer, reactive blends