Enhancement of mechanical properties of polypropylene by blending with styrene-(ethylene-butylene)-styrene tri-block copolymer

Abstract

Observations are reported in impact tests, uniaxial tensile tests with various strain rates, relaxation tests with various strains and cyclic tests with a mixed deformation program and various maximum strains per cycle on neat polypropylene (PP) and a blend of PP with styrene-(ethylene-butylene)-styrene copolymer (SEBS). Experimental data demonstrate a pronounced enhancement of impact resistance of PP due to the presence of an impact modifier, accompanied by improvement of its properties under low-speed loading, observed as a decrease in relaxation rate and residual strain under cyclic deformation. Material constants in constitutive equations are determined by matching the experimental data. Correlations are established between changes in the viscoelastoplastic response of PP and evolution of its microstructure induced by the presence of an impact modifier.