Study On The Process Optimization, Anti-aging Performance And Compatibilization Of Polypropylene-graft-Cardanol By Reaction Extrusion

In this study, the natural resource of cardanol was used as grafted monomer to modify polypropylene (PP) in the presence of dicumyl peroxide (DCP). PP-grafted-cardanol (PP-g-cardanol) was prepared by reactive extrusion with twin screw extruder. The main work focus on the effect of the processing variables (processing temperature, screw speed and feeding methods) of reactive extrusion and the combination of whorled components on the grafting rate, capillary rheological properties, melt flow rate (MFR) and mechanical properties of PP-g-cardanol. The anti-aging performance of PP-g-cardanol was also explored. Thirdly, the compatibilization of PP-g-cardanol on polypropylene/acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (PP/ABS) blends was investigated. At the same time, the effect of PP-g-cardanol on the morphology, the rheological properties, the mechanical properties and the anti-aging performance of PP/ABS blends were studied.Results showed that there was significant impact of the processing variables (processing temperature, screw speed and feeding order) and the combination of whorled components on the process of reactive extrusion and the properties of PP-g-cardanol. The optimum processing conditions were at the temperature of 180℃, and at the screw speed of 30 r/min. Adopting separately feeding order F2, that was PP and cardanol was mixed evenly and added from feed port 1, then the initiator was added from feed port 2, could raise the efficiency of DCP and obtained PP-g-cardanol with high grafting rate. It was beneficial to comgine the feeding order of F2 and the combination of whorled component of S4 for obtaining PP-g-cardanol with maximum grafting rate when the value is 4.95%. The MFR and capillary rheological properties changed corresponding to the grafting rate.Even after acceleratting aged for 7 d under UV-ray, the surface of PP-g-cardanol remained intact. After aged for 20 d, the tensile strength, the elongation at break and the impact strength changed little compared with those before aged, which was 35.48 MPa, 960%,2.72 kJ/m2, respectively.5 phr PP-g-cardanol could reduce the average particle size of ABS in the blends of PP/ABS to a minimum. At the same time, the mechanical properties reached excellent value. PP-g-cardanol reduced the interfacial energy of PP and ABS. The compatibility of PP/ABS blends was improved owing to PP-g-cardanol. Attributing to the p-π-conjugated cardanol. PP-g-cardanol possessed both electron-withdrawing effect and electron donating effect. The anti-aging performance of PP/ABS/PP-g-cardanol blends was improved. PP-g-cardanol was expected to use as compatibilizer and anti-aging agent.