The purpose of this research project has been to evaluate the feasibility of improving the impact properties of polypropylene (PP)/ethylene vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) laminar blends by the incorporation of a rubber phase. The impact modifier was poly (ethylene-propylene) rubber (EPR). The study was conducted initially with a batch mixer, and then continued with an extruder. Furthermore, it was decided to evaluate the improvement in impact toughness of the blends upon addition of a polyethylene (PE) phase. / The batch mixing studies showed that it is possible to bring the impact properties of maleated PP (MAPP)-based blends to the range of those exhibited by MAPP, by incorporation of both EPR and PE. The sequence of addition of EPR and PE is very important. The products obtained exhibited good adhesion at the interface between the dispersed phase and the matrix. The presence of EPR and PE did not affect the final oxygen permeabilities of the blends. / The extrusion studies showed that the morphology of the blends, and therefore their final properties, depend on the method of compounding. Different MAPP resins were used as the major phase. The best impact properties were found in the case of addition of the EPR-PE phase in a twin screw extruder. The oxygen permeabilities were disappointing, and appeared to be only slightly influence by compositional or processing parameters. One possible explanation is that moisture might have contaminated the EVOH phase, inhibiting its effectiveness as an oxygen barrier.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:LACETR/oai:collectionscanada.gc.ca:QMM.60574 |
| Date | January 1991 |
| Creators | Arghyris, Laurent |
| Publisher | McGill University |
| Source Sets | Library and Archives Canada ETDs Repository / Centre d'archives des thèses électroniques de Bibliothèque et Archives Canada |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Coverage | Master of Engineering (Department of Chemical Engineering.) |
| Rights | All items in eScholarship@McGill are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated. |
| Relation | alephsysno: 001256206, proquestno: AAIMM72174, Theses scanned by UMI/ProQuest. |
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