Mechanical properties of blends of nylon 6 with a chemically modified polyolefin

Both tensile and impact properties were measured of a heterogeneous polymer blend system, consisting of nylon 6 and a chemically modified polyolefin, DuPont CXA3095, which is an ethylene‐based multifunctional polymer. It was found, from the tensile testing, that the blends exhibited no signs of necking, and the addition of a soft resin (CXA3095) reduced the modulus and the tensile strength of nylon 6, whereas the percent elongation at break went through a minimum. When 20 wt % of CXA3095 was added to nylon 6, the impact strength was increased approximately three times. When the factors describing the interfacial adhesion were incorporated, the existing models for predicting the tensile modulus of blends were found to describe the experimental data rather well. In order to help explain the mechanical behavior observed, photomicrographs were taken of the fracture surfaces, using a scanning electron microscope.