Enhancing the Interface Behavior on Polycarbonate/Elastomeric Blends: Morphological, Structural, and Thermal Characterization

A systematic study was performed to provide better understanding of the effect of elastomeric materials on the behavior of polycarbonate blends (PC). Thus, blends of PC with different amounts of elastomers, such as copolyether ester elastomer (COPE), acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS), maleic anh...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Pedro Veiga Rodrigues, Bruno Ramoa, Ana Rita Torres, Maria Cidália R. Castro, Ana Vera Machado
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-04-01
Series:Polymers
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/15/7/1773
Description
Summary:A systematic study was performed to provide better understanding of the effect of elastomeric materials on the behavior of polycarbonate blends (PC). Thus, blends of PC with different amounts of elastomers, such as copolyether ester elastomer (COPE), acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS), maleic anhydride-grafted ABS (ABS-<i>g</i>-MA), and styrene–ethylene–butylene–styrene (SEBS-<i>g</i>-MA) were prepared in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The materials were characterized by an electronic microscopy (SEM), an infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and thermal (DSC) and thermo-mechanical (DMA) techniques. The incorporation of elastomeric phases was observed by changes in the FTIR band’s intensity, whereas a new shoulder of the ester band of COPE at 1728 cm<sup>−1</sup> indicates the occurrence of a transesterification reaction. Unmodified and modified ABS (5% and 10%) did not affect the glass transition temperature (T<sub>g</sub>) of PC, while 1% SEBS-<i>g</i>-MA slightly increased this value. PC/10% COPE showed that a decrease in T<sub>g</sub> of 25 °C has a result of better compatibilization between both phases, which is visible via SEM. SEM analysis identified three main toughening mechanisms, depending on the type of elastomer. Unlike any other study, this work deepens the knowledge, in a comparative way, to understand the elastomeric effect at the interface and consequently, on the mechanical behavior of PC systems.
ISSN:2073-4360