Studies on polymer blend of nylon 6 and polypropylene or nylon 6 and polystyrene using the reaction of polymer

Abstract

Abstract In the presence of maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene, marked dispersibility of the polymer blend of isotactic polypropylene and nylon 6 was obtained. This appeared to be caused by the formation of a certain graft polymer between maleic anhydride in polypropylene and terminal amino groups of nylon 6. The same phenomenon was observed when polystyrene and nylon 6 were blended with styrene–methacrylic acid copolymer as the interpolymer. The existence of such a graft polymer was confirmed by solvent extraction, estimation of the amino group of nylon 6, and identification by differential scanning calorimetry. The physical properties, especially mechanical properties of nylon 6–polypropylene polymer blends, were remarkably improved with increase of maleic anhydride added to the polymer blend. On the other hand, the physical properties those of nylon 6–polystyrene polymer blends were very little improved even in the presence of good dispersibility.