STUDIES ON REACTIVE COMPATIBILIZATION AND DYNAMIC VULCANIZATION OF POLYPROPYLENE /EPOXIDIZED NATURAL RUBBER BLENDS FILLED WITH CARBONIZED DIKA NUTSHELL

Carbonized Dika nutshell filled ? polypropylene (PP)/epoxidized natural rubber (ENR) blend was prepared and its morphological, rheological and mechanical properties were studied. A combination of maleic anhydride-modified PP (PP-g-MA) and poly (lactic acid) (PLA) was used as compatibilizer, which act as interfacial agents between PP and ENR phases. The effectiveness of compatibilization was suggested from viscosity and storage modulus, determined by rheological measurements. Compatibilization produced increases in complex viscosity, storage modulus and impact strength. Dynamic vulcanization also resulted in increases in these properties, which were higher than those observed for noncompatibilized/non-vulcanized blends. The increase in complex viscosity, storage modulus and impact strength with compatibilization and vulcanization is due to molecular build-up arising from chemical reactions that occurred during the melt blending process, as well as increase in network formation caused by vulcanization. Outstanding mechanical performance, especially tensile strength and impact strength (higher values), and elongation at break (lower values) were obtained with increase in filler content.