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Interfacial interaction in polypropylene-natural rubber blends: role of natural rubber on morphological, rheological, and mechanical evolution

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Abstract

Role of natural rubber (NR) on modifying the interface, morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP)-NR blend system, is investigated. PP-NR blends with different loading of NR (0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50 wt/wt %) were prepared via melt mixing technique. NR, depending on its loading, actuates dramatic phase morphology transformation; from well-discrete matrix droplet to a co-continuous type morphology. This in turn lowers the relaxation of dispersed NR phase as evident by rheological studies. Similarly, the coarsening of morphology from discrete droplet-matrix structure produces synergistic improvement in mechanical properties especially the impact strength. Besides, contact angle studies were carried out to determine the various wettability parameters and the interfacial energy is theoretically calculated using geometric-mean equation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Chemistry, MES College Marampally, Aluva, Kerala, India, 683105

    Nithin Chandran

  2. Department of Sciences, Amrita School of Engineering, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Tamil Nadu, Chennai, India

    Sarathchandran C

  3. School of Chemical Sciences, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686560

    Nithin Chandran, Anjaly Sivadas & Sabu Thomas

  4. International and Inter University Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686 560

    Sabu Thomas

  5. School of Energy Materials, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India, 686 560

    Sabu Thomas

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The manuscript entitled “Interfacial interaction in polypropylene-natural rubber blends: role of natural rubber on morphological, rheological, and mechanical evolution” by Nithin Chandran, Sarathchandran C, Anjaly Sivadas and Sabu Thomas is not having any conflict of interest.

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Chandran, N., C, S., Sivadas, A. et al. Interfacial interaction in polypropylene-natural rubber blends: role of natural rubber on morphological, rheological, and mechanical evolution. J Polym Res 29, 24 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10965-021-02873-8

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