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Melt-neutralization of maleic anhydride grafted on high-density polyethylene compatibilizer for polyamide-6/high-density polyethylene blend: effect of neutralization level on compatibility of the blend

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Abstract

Blends of polyamide-6 (PA-6) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with blend ratios of 80/20 (wt/wt) and 20/80 (wt/wt) were studied using zinc-neutralized maleic anhydride (MAH) grafted HDPE as compatibilizers. MAH groups were hydrolyzed and neutralized with different amounts of zinc acetate dihydrate in a twin-screw extruder to produce different levels of zinc-neutralization (0, 14, 41, 69, and 95 %) at one and ten parts per hundred of resin of compatibilizer. Melt neutralization of MAH was confirmed by X-ray fluorescence, FT–IR, and rheological properties. SEM micrographs showed a large reduction in the dispersed phase size in the compatibilized blends. Tensile measurements showed improvement of tensile strength for all compatibilized blends; moreover, the elongation at break of compatibilized blends at 10 phr of compatibilizer was improved. Blending increased the crystallization temperature for the PA-6, and the addition of compatibilizer reduced the crystallization temperature slightly. A significant increase in melt viscosity of the compatibilizer was found with zinc addition and adding compatibilizer increased the viscosity of the blends. However, the addition of zinc to the compatibilizer did not change the viscosity in the PA-6-rich blends and actually led to a decrease in viscosity in the HDPE-rich blends.

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Acknowledgments

Authors are thankful to TPE Co., Ltd., and UBE Nylon (Thailand), for providing the materials for carrying out the present work and Polymer Processing and Polymer Nanomaterials Research Unit and, Research Program in Petroleum and Petrochemical Technology (PPT consortium).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Polymer Processing and Polymer Nanomaterials Research Unit, The Petroleum and Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University, Soi Chula 12, Phyathai Road, Wangmai, Pathumwan, Bangkok, 10330, Thailand

    Sutep Charoenpongpool & Manit Nithitanakul

  2. School of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering, The University of Oklahoma, 100 East Boyd, Norman, OK, 73019, USA

    Brian P. Grady

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  1. Sutep Charoenpongpool
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  2. Manit Nithitanakul
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  3. Brian P. Grady
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Correspondence to Manit Nithitanakul.

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Charoenpongpool, S., Nithitanakul, M. & Grady, B.P. Melt-neutralization of maleic anhydride grafted on high-density polyethylene compatibilizer for polyamide-6/high-density polyethylene blend: effect of neutralization level on compatibility of the blend. Polym. Bull. 70, 293–309 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0805-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00289-012-0805-z

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