ACRYLIC-ACID CONTAINING COPOLYMERS AS REACTIVE COMPATIBILIZERS FOR TOUGHENING NYLON-6

Nylon 6 has been toughened by rubber particles that were dispersed within the matrix via additives that physically interact with the elastomer phase but chemically react with the polyamide phase. To disperse a core-shell impact modifier having a poly(methyl methacrylate) or PMMA shell, most of the work presented is based on the use of a styrene/acrylic acid copolymer containing 8 wt% acrylic acid, SAA8. SAA8 is miscible with PMMA and should locate in the PMMA grafted chains of the impact modifier while chemically reacting with the nylon 6 matrix; hence, it should aid in both the dispersal and strengthening the modifier-matrix interface. Microscopy and mechanical properties confirm that SAA8 does function in this way but less effectively than styrene/maleic anhydride copolymers, which are also miscible with PMMA but evidently react more effectively with the polyamides. The use of ethylene/acrylic acid copolymer for dispersal of the core-shell impact modifier and a styrene/ethylene-butene/styrene block copolymer in nylon 6 was also briefly considered. Low-temperature toughness of the blends proved to be a much more critical test of the effectiveness of such additives than room temperature impact strength.