Compatibilisers Adhesion Promoters

A stndy was made of the effects of foam formulation and process conditions and liner composition on the adhesion of HCFC-141b blown rigid PU foam thermal insulation to refrigerator liner protective layers made of ABS, high-impact PS (HIPS), PE and blends of HIPS and PE containing a compatibiliser and adhesion promoter. A tensile test was used to quantify the level of adhesion before and after thermal cycling, and the Brett mould was used for laboratory simulations of foam adhesion within... 

Compatibilisers (adhesion promoters) Improving the interaction between different phases SBS in styrenic blends, epoxidised or maleated functionalised polymers in general... 

In general, when two or more different types of polymer are mixed, they show immiscibility (separation of phases), and exhibit a dispersion of the minor phase (the dispersed phase) in the major phase (the matrix). The cohesion between these different phases is low in most cases, and so the mechanical performances of the blends produced by simple blending are generally low, and need improvement. This is of prime importance in the preparation of mnlti-layered prodncts (packaging films, bottles, and so on) or multi-material parts, as well as where plastics are reinforced by fillers or by fibres. In such cases, interfacial cohesion between different phases can be improved by the use of special additives, called adhesion promoters or compatibilisers, that act at inter-phases. 

The term compatibiliser refers to an additive used to improve the miscibility and properties of a polymer blend. It is sometimes more specifically used to mean an additive used to promote adhesion between a polymer and an inorganic smface such as a mineral, or glass fibres. In this report, the coupling agents used to promote adhesion between polymer and inorganic additives are discussed imder the heading of Fillers, and this section concentrates almost entirely on the compatibilisers used to promote the compatibility of two organic polymers. 

Mural and co-workers [57] also optimised the mechanical properties of an rPP and recycled high impact polystyrene (rHIPS) blend at a composition of 70/30 wt%. Consequently, this composition was mixed with a styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEES) block copolymer triblock copolymer and Cloisite 20A OMMT. Using X-ray diffraction, the samples containing 3 wt% of nanoclay were found to lack the characteristic nanoclay peak, which indicated the mixed intercalated and exfoliated clay layers where the intercalated layers were further pushed toward the interphase [76]. The incorporation of a compatibiliser and nanoclay also improved the thermal stability of the PP/HIPS blend. SEES and nanoclay performed as an interfacial compatibiliser, which led to the reduction in particle size of rHIPS and the promotion of interfacial adhesion. 

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