Toughening of nylon 6 with a ethylene–octene copolymer grafted with maleic anhydride and styrene

• Maleation of poly(ethylene-r-octene) by incorporation of styrene was investigated.
• EOC-g-MA-St was evaluated as an elastomer in the rubber toughened PA6.
• EOC-g-MA-St provides higher efficiency than the conventional maleated EOC.

ABSTRACTMaleation of ethylene–octene copolymer (EOC) with incorporation of styrene as a comonomer was investigated. Maleated EOC thus obtained was compounded with polyamide-6 (PA6) and its efficiency as an elastomer in PA6 matrix was evaluated. Maleated EOC incorporated with styrene provides higher impact strength than the conventional maleated EOC. By various investigations, it was proved that the incorporation of the styrene increases the graft degree of MA onto EOC and the maleated EOC thus obtained shows higher performance as an elastomer in the rubber toughening of PA6 due to enhanced interfacial strength and stability.