THE EFFECT OF PP AND EPR GRAFTED WITH ACRYLIC-ACID ON THE PROPERTIES AND PHASE-STRUCTURE OF POLYPROPYLENE ELASTOMER SHORT GLASS-FIBER COMPOSITES

Composites comprising polypropylene/elastomer/short glass fibre in which acrylated polypropylene (AcPP) or acrylated ethylene-propylene elastomer (AcEPR) were used to raise the interfacial adhesion were investigated. These agents cause a change in mechanical properties, and predominantly a rise in strength, not only due to an improved matrix-fibre adhesion, but also by affecting the phase structure of the matrix in the surroundings of the fibres. Better results were obtained in the case of AcPP, but - surprisingly enough - the impact strength was lower with AcEPR than with a composite containing unfunctionalized components.