Encapsulation in polysulfone/polycarbonate/impact modifier blends

Abstract

Ternary blends of polysulfone (PSF)/polycarbonate (PC)/Impact modifiers (IM) were prepared to improve the mechanical properties of PSF/PC binary blends. Two different core-shell impact modifiers, methyl methacrylate-butadiene-ethylacrylate (MBE) and acrylnitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) terpolymers, were used. Morphology of the blends was very dependent on the matrix type but independent of the IM type. For PSF matrix PC tends to encapsulate the IM. Whereas, for PC matrix, the IM tends to locate in PC matrix and thus two distinct phases of PSF and IM are observed. The encapsulation of PC onto the IM in PSF matrix was verified from the model blends of PSF/PC/SAN24 and PSF/PC/PMMA, where SAN24 and PMMA are corresponding to the shell of the IM, respectively. Impact strengths of the blends with the IM were slightly increased compared to PSF/PC binary blends, but not significantly. This may be the result of poor PSF/PC interfaces, which are valid from their immiscibility.