BRITTLE-DUCTILE TRANSITION OF PP/EPDM/ELASTOMERIC NANO-PARTICLE TERNARY BLENDS

Thebrittle-ductiletransitionisaveryimportantphenomenonforpolymertoughening.Polypropylene(PP)isoftentoughenedbyusingrubbers,e.g.,ethylene-propylenedienemonomer(EPDM)hasoftenbeenusedasamodifier.Inthisarticle,thetougheningofPPbyusinganewkindofrubber,knownaselastomericnano-particle(ENP),andthebrittle-ductiletransitionofPP/EPDM/ENPwasstudied.ComparedtoPP/EPDMbinaryblends,thebrittle-ductiletransitionofPP/EPDM/ENPternaryblendsoccurredatlowerEPDMcontents.SEMexperimentwascarriedouttoinvestigatetheetchedandimpact-fracturedsurfaces.ENPalonehadnoeffectontheimpactstrengthofPP,however,withthesameEPDMcontent,PP/EPDM/ENPternaryblendshadsmallerparticlesize,betterdispersionandsmallerinterparticledistanceincontrarytoPP/EPDMbinaryblends,whichpromotedthebrittle-ductiletransitiontooccurearlier.