Evaluation of photo-aging changes in mechanical properties of HIPS, PS-based binary and compatibilized ternary blends

Document Type : Original research

Authors

1 Chemistry & Chemical Engineering Technical Centre, Academic Centre for Education, Culture and Research (ACECR), Isfahan University of Technology branch, Isfahan, Iran

2 Chemical, Polymeric and Petrochemical Technology Development Research Division, Research Institute of Petroleum Industry, Tehran, Iran

3 Chemical Engineering Department, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran

Abstract

In this work, photo-aging behavior of high impact polystyrene (HIPS), polystyrene/ethylene propylene diene monomer (PS/EPDM) binary blends, and compatibilized polystyrene/ethylene propylene diene monomer/ polyamide 6 (PS/EPDM/PA6) ternary blends were studied and compared together. Polymer blends photo-degradation faces considerable challenges, as a polymer blend is a compound of multiple components with particular interactions and its components may function as degrading or stabilizing agents. Photo-aging generally can cause changes in the color and mechanical properties of polymer compounds. Attenuated total reflection Fourier transform spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was conducted to study the chemical interactions between components in the prepared samples. The morphological structure of blends were studied by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The impact and tensile strength of the samples were measured and compared after exposure to UV radiation. To study the changes in the appearance, the yellowness index values of the samples were followed at different period of exposure to UV irradiation. Post-radiation results showed the similar mechanical performance of ternary and binary blends with the retention of mechanical properties close to each other. The impact strength and elongation at break for the HIPS sample have decreased greatly compared to the blends and have shown their retention by 8.46 and 7.86%, respectively. The ultimate tensile strength retention in each sample is between 70 and 82% and there is no significant difference between them. The final yellowness index of HIPS was measured to be 1.6 and 1.2 times higher than that of the binary and ternary blends, respectively.

Graphical Abstract

Evaluation of photo-aging changes in mechanical properties of HIPS, PS-based binary and compatibilized ternary blends

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Polyolefins Journal

Articles in Press, Accepted Manuscript
Available Online from 11 January 2025

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History

  • Receive Date: 22 September 2024
  • Revise Date: 25 December 2024
  • Accept Date: 11 January 2025
  • First Publish Date: 11 January 2025

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