Interfacial adhesion of immiscible component polymers of isoprene rubber and α-olefin copolymer by chemical reaction using peroxide crosslinking agent

We investigated the interfacial adhesion of immiscible component polymers of isoprene rubber (IR) and alpha-olefin copolymer (alpha OC) by chemical reaction using peroxide crosslinking agent which was used for the crosslinking of IR. Fibrillar structure of the IR elongated from the alpha OC domains was observed by scanning electron microscope and the tensile stress of the IR was enhanced without sacrifice of the excellent elongation in the two-phase blends of IR and alpha OC obtained after crosslinking reaction, suggesting that adhesion exists at the interface. The confocal-Raman imaging of the bilayer films of IR and alpha OC revealed that mixed layer having a distance about 358 nm was formed at the interface by the chemical reaction. Owing to the existence of the mixed layer at the interface, the adhesion strength was larger as the mixed layer at the interface was thicker. Thus interfacial adhesion exists in the immiscible component polymers of IR and alpha OC by the chemical reaction and the tensile stress was enhanced without sacrifice of the excellent elongation.