Micro and nano fibrils from polypropylene/nylon 6 blends

Some previous publications are pointed out to put forward a technique to make fibrils in the range of micro and nano. Blends of polypropylene, nylon 6, and polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride as compatibilizer were spun into continuous filaments by a laboratory extruder. In a sample containing 70% nylon 6, 25% polypropylene, and 5% polypropylene grafted with maleic anhydride, nylon 6 component that forms the matrix of the blend was dissolved in the solution of formic acid (98%) to leave the other component as micro and/or nanofibrils. The remaining polypropylene fibrils were examined by polarizing microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, and wide angle X-ray diffraction. The extracted fibrils were found to be partially crystalline having melting temperature close to the neat polypropylene. The fibrils have diameter less than one micrometer. The diameter of the fibrils decreases by cold drawing. This particular finding suggests a possibility for making mat containing micro and nanofibers from polypropylene. (c) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.