Using LSM to Investigate Maleated Polypropylene in Polypropylene/Glass Bead Composites

Published

May 1, 2003

Author(s)

J Toke, J D. Muzzy, Marcus T. Cicerone

Abstract

For several decades maleated polypropylene (mPP) has been blended with polypropylene (PP) in an effort to improve the adhesion of PP to composite reinforcements. A large portion of this research is on PP and glass composites, trying to improve the inherently poor bonding of PP to glass fibers and fillers. In these composites mPP is blended with PP in order to improve the adhesion of the glass to the PP matrix. Studying the miscibility of these blends is difficult due to the molecular similarity of these polymers; however, we discovered that when the mPP and mPP/PP blends are irradiated with 488 nm light and observed at wavelengths longer than 530 nm, small volumes of auto-fluorescence become apparent. These fluorescent volumes did not show up in the homogeneous PP. These discrete volumes of auto-fluorescence suggest heterogeneity in the mPP and mPP blends that may be related to the anhydride distribution in the polymer. The fluorescent volumes in the polymer increase in intensity with increasing acid content in the mPP and in the blends. Impact specimens were injection molded using pre-compounded blends to yield mPP/PP blends in concentrations of 1, 5, 10, and 20 mass percent (wt%) mPP. Samples were analyzed to depths of > 150mm in the polymer blends using a Zeiss LSM510 scanning confocal microscope (1.3NA objective). The results of this study are compared to mechanical properties of PP/glass bead composites made with the homogeneous PP and mPP/PP blends.

Proceedings Title

Proceedings of the Annual Technical Meeting of the Society of Plastics Engineers. 61st Conference

Volume

24(17)

Conference Dates

May 8-9, 2003

Conference Title

ANTEC 2003

Pub Type

Conferences

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Keywords

autofluorescence, interfacial strength, maleated polypropylene, phase separation, polypropylene

Citation

Toke, J. , Muzzy, J. and Cicerone, M. (2003), Using LSM to Investigate Maleated Polypropylene in Polypropylene/Glass Bead Composites, Proceedings of the Annual Technical Meeting of the Society of Plastics Engineers. 61st Conference, [online], https://tsapps.nist.gov/publication/get_pdf.cfm?pub_id=852215 (Accessed January 18, 2025)