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Mechanical and rheological properties of silica-reinforced polypropylene/m-EPR blends

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Abstract

Rheological and mechanical properties (tensile and impact properties) as well as the mechanical profiles of ternary isotactic polypropylene/silica/elastomer (iPP/SiO2/m-EPR metallocene catalyzed ethylene-propylene rubber) composites were investigated and discussed. The effects of two metallocene ethylene-propylene-based elastomers (m-EPR) differing in molecular weight/viscosity and their content on iPP/silica composites with different silica types differing in size (nano- vs. micro-) and surface properties (untreated vs. treated) were investigated. The two m-EPR elastomers were added to iPP/SiO2 96/4 composites as possible impact modifier and compatibilizer at the same time in 5, 10, 15, and 20 vol% per hundred volume parts of composites. The effects of different silica fillers and two m-EPR rubbers were discussed within the context of structure-morphology-mechanical property relationships of these iPP/SiO2/m-EPR composites. Tensile and impact strength properties were mainly influenced by combined competetive effects of stiff filler and tough m-EPR elastomer so sinergistic effect was also observed. The ductility of these composites was affected additionally by spherulite size of the iPP matrix due to the difference in nucleation abilities of silica fillers enabled by prevailing separated morphology observed in iPP/SiO2/m-EPR composites.

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Acknowledgments

Financial support of the Ministry of Science, Education and Sports of the Republic of Croatia and the Ministry of Higher Education, Science and Technology of the Republic of Slovenia is acknowledged. We are most grateful to Mr. Uwe Schachtely for his advice concerning the choice of nano- and microsilicas as well as Degussa AG for generous donation of silica samples.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Materials Chemistry, Ruđer Bošković Institute, Bijenička 54, 10002, Zagreb, Croatia

    Anđela Pustak & Ivan Šmit

  2. FEB Maribor, Institute of Technology, University of Maribor, Razlagova 14, 2000, Maribor, Slovenia

    Matjaž Denac & Vojko Musil

  3. Department of Materials, Laboratory for Polymers, Slovenian National Building and Civil Engineering Institute, Dimičeva 12, 1000, Ljubljana, Slovenia

    Andrijana Sever Škapin

  4. ISOKON, Production and Processing of Thermoplastic Ltd, Mestni trg 5a, 3210, Slovenske Konjice, Slovenia

    Iztok Švab

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  1. Anđela Pustak
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  2. Matjaž Denac
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  3. Andrijana Sever Škapin
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  4. Iztok Švab
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  5. Vojko Musil
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  6. Ivan Šmit
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Correspondence to Anđela Pustak.

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Pustak, A., Denac, M., Škapin, A.S. et al. Mechanical and rheological properties of silica-reinforced polypropylene/m-EPR blends. J Polym Res 23, 163 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-016-1062-x

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