Rubber modification of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide)/crosslinked polystyrene semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks: morphology and impact behaviour

Rubber modification of poly(2,6‐dimethyl‐1,4‐phenylene oxide) (PPO)/crosslinked polystyrene (CPS) semi‐interpenetrating polymer networks (semi‐IPNs) was studied using polybutadiene (PB), a linear styrene‐butadiene‐styrene (SBS) triblock cocpolymer and a star‐shaped SBS multi‐block copolymer, at different composition ratios. The materials, obtained by reactive compression moulding of mixtures containing PPO, an elastomer, styrenic monomers and crosslinker (divinylbenzene), show a very high glass transition temperature (Tg), high dimensional stability and good impact properties.