Polymeric alloys, defined

The term compatibihzing was defined by Gaylord in 1966 (133) as rendering a mixture of two or more polymeric materials permanently miscible so as to form a homogeneous composition that has useful plastic properties and which does not separate into its component parts. Actually, in his definition the term miscible was not appropriate and another term uniform would be better. A few years later, he defined another term compatibilization as absence of separation or stratification of the components of the polymeric alloy during the expected useful lifetime of the product (134). 

Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPE) are classes of heterophasic polymers, characterized by thermo-reversible interaction among the polymeric chains. The new polymeric materials that are considered to produce easy recyclable automotive systems, can be defined as a sort of a new generation of Olefinic Thermoplastic Elastomers (TPO), belonging to a broad family of polyolefinic alloys that can now be produced directly dining the polymerization phase. These completely new materials, resulting from advanced research and development carried out by HIMONT, can be tailored in order to meet different requirements of most of car apphcations. The basic partly finished components suitable for the constructions of the main automotive composite structru-es will be described. 

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