Influence of the Type of Polypropylene on the Photodegradation of Blends of Polypropylene/High Impact Polystyrene

The influence from the type of polypropylene on the photodegradation resistance of blends of polypropylene/high impact polystyrene (PP/HIPS) was studied. A virgin polypropylene (PPv) and another sample that suffered prior thermo-mechanical degradation (PPrep) were used. All materials, components of the blends and blends were exposed to UV radiation for up to 15 weeks. They were characterized as a function of time of UV exposure using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The mechanical (tensile and impact) properties and melt flow indexes of the materials were also evaluated. The experimental results revealed that PPv resin and its blends were more sensitive to UV radiation than PPrep and its blends. In terms of photostabilization this finding is very interesting, since PP/HIPS blends prepared with a previously degraded polyolefin would require smaller amounts of additives than the same kind of blends prepared with virgin resin.