Dynamic mechanical properties of immiscible polymer systems with and without compatibilizer

Blends of polyamide12 (PA12) and isotactic polypropylene (PP) were prepared by melt mixing, in an internal mixer, in the presence and absence of compatibiliser. The compatibiliser used was maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP-g-MA). The dynamic mechanical properties of the blends with and without compatibiliser were studied. Although compatibilization shifted the glass transition temperatures (Tg's) of component polymers only marginally, it significantly enhanced the storage modulus of the blends. The storage moduli of the uncompatibilised blends were compared with those predicted by theoretical models. Correlation between the dynamic mechanical properties of both compatibilised and uncompatibilised blends and their phase morphology was made.