Blending of Polystyrene and Low Density Polythene to Enhance the Physical Properties by using Compatibilizer-Styrene Ethylene/Butylene Styrene

Polymers are materials made of long, repeating chains of molecules. These polymers are blended to improve the properties. Blending is the process of combination of two or more polymers which produce a new polymer with improved properties. In this study blending is used to enhance the physical properties of Polystyrene/low density polythene(PS/LDPE) by using compatibilizer like styrene ethylene/butylene styrene. With this blending, the variation of thermal, mechanical and morphological properties of PS and LDPE with SEBS as compatibilizer is studied. Blends with different compositions of PS/LDPE in 100/0, 80/20, 60/40, 40/60, 20/80 and 0/100 wt% were prepared through melt blending in a twin screw extruder at a temperature of 200℃ and a screw speed of 60 rpm. The compatibilizer (SEBS) with 5% concentration of total weight of the blends was used. Various tests were conducted for the mechanical properties. Morphological behaviors was observed.It showed different variations in properties like tensile, flexural decreased and compressive properties increased with increase in LDPE content used in the blend. However the elongation at break of the blends tended to increase with increasing LDPE. Impact strength of the blends increase slowly with LDPE up to 40 wt%, after that it increases sharply with increasing LDPE. The impact energy of the LDPE –rich blends exceeded with that of pure LDPE. The optimum properties like elongation at break and impact strength of PS and LDPE blends are observed at 60 wt% of LDPE content in polystyrene and low density polyethylene blend