Effect of the viscosity of components on the phase structure and impact strength of polypropylene/ethylene‐propylene elastomer blends

The concentration dependences of particle size of the dispersed phase on rheological properties of the components were investigated by scanning electron microscopy for blends of polypropylene and ethylene‐propylene elastomers obtained by melt mixing. At very low concentrations the minority component is dispersed the more finely the lower its viscosity is. With increasing concentration of the dispersed phase the size of its particles in the given matrix increases the more quickly the lower the viscosity of the dispersed phase is. With increasing viscosity of the matrix the particle size of the minority phase decreases at all compositions of the blend. The results obtained were interpreted as a result of dynamic equilibrium between the break up and coalescence of particles in flow. At elastomer concentrations higher than 15% the differences between impact strength values of the blends are determined by the size of inclusions of the elastomeric modifier. Dispersions finer than the optimal one with respect to impact strength can be reached only with the polypropylene matrix possessing high viscosity.