Characterization of blends with polyamide 6 and ethylene acrylic acid copolymers at different acrylic acid content

In this work the morphological, calorimetric, rheological and mechanical behaviour and fourier transmission infrared analysis of blends made with polyamide 6 (PA6) and ethylene acrylic acid copolymers (EAA) containing different amount of acrylic acid were investigated. The results observed from the sample characterizations evidenced as acrylic acid cause a compatibilizing effect between polyethylene and polyamide components with modifications of blends morphology and mechanical behaviour. These effects are enhanced with increase of the acrylic acid content in the copolymer and they were attributed generally to hydrogen bond interactions among the acrylic acid group and the functional groups of the polyamide. A more significant compatibilization phenomenon is obtained in blends containing higher amino terminal group concentration in the polyamide suggesting that these functional groups interact better with acrylic groups of the copolymer than the carboxylic ones. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.