Effect of maleic anhydride modified olefinic elastomer and plastomer on impact properties of PBT

Poly(butylene terephthalate), a polyolefinic elastomer (POE) Engage™ 8150 and polyolefinic plastomer (POP) Affinity™ 1900 were melt blended in a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Compositions having POE, POE-g-MAH, POP and POP-g-MAH up to 15 % wt with PBT were studied. The blends were characterized for mechanical, thermal and rheological properties as well as for morphological characteristics. The mechanical properties like tensile strength, flexural strength of PBT/POE, PBT/POE-g-MAH, PBT/POP and PBT/POP-g-MAH were slightly lower than that of virgin PBT. Impact strength increased with increase in the percentage of POE, POE-g-MAH, POP and POP-g-MAH in PBT. Maleic anhydride modified olefinic elastomer showed better enhancement in impact strength as compare to maleic anhydride modified plastomer. Rheological characterization has showed an increase in shear viscosity due to the addition of elastomers as well as modified elastomers in PBT. This reveals that rheological properties also corroborate to the improvement of impact strength.