Compressive Properties and Morphology of Polypropylene/Polycarbonate Blends

This work investigates the effect of blending polypropylene (PP) with polycarbonate (PC) on morphology and compression properties of the blend. The blends, containing between 5 to 35% of polycarbonate and 5% compatibilizer, were compounded using twin-screw extruder and fabricated into
standard tests samples using compression molding. The compatibilizer used was polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA). Microscopy analysis showed minor phase size dependency on compatibilizer content, with irregular shapes of fibers, elliptical, or spherical in certain compositions. In compressive properties, as PC content increased, compressive strength also improved. However with PC content of more than 35%, the blend strength decreased. This same relationship was also observed for the blends’ Young’s modulus and stiffness.