• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.404-410
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• 2008

In order to obtain 'value added products' from polypropylene (PP)/waste ground rubber tire powder (WGRT) composites, PP/WGRT microcellular foams were prepared via supercritical carbon dioxide. The effects of blend composition and processing condition on the cell size, cell density and relative density of PP/WGRT micro-cellular composites were studied. The results indicated that the microcellular structure was dependent on blend composition and processing condition. An increased content of waste ground rubber tire powder (WGRT) and maleic anhydride-grafted styrene-ethylene-butylene-styrene (SEBS-g-MA) reduced the cell size, and raised the cell density and relative density, whereas a higher saturation pressure increased the cell size, and reduced the cell density and relative density. With increasing saturation temperature, the cell size increased and the relative density decreased, whereas the cell density initially increased and then decreased.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.615-620
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• 2015

Polypropylene (PP)/bamboo fiber (BF) composites were fabricated by twin screw extruder in order to investigate effects of the compatibilizer on physical properties of PP/BF composites. The content of BF changed from 10 to 25 wt% and that of the compatibilizer was fixed at 3 wt%. Maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP-g-MAH) was used to increase the compatibility between PP and BF as a compatibilizer. Chemical structures of the composites were confirmed by the existence of carbonyl group (C=O) stretching peak at $1,700cm^{-1}$ in FT-IR spectrum. Considering the degradation and mechanical properties, the optimum extrusion conditions were selected to be $210^{\circ}C$ and 100 rpm, respectively. There was no distinct changes in melting temperature of the composites, but the crystallization temperature increased by $10-20^{\circ}C$ owing to the heterogeneous nuclei of BF. It was checked that the optimum BF content was in the range of 15-20 wt% from the results of tensile and flexural properties of the composites. The effect of the compatibilizer on mechanical properties was confirmed by SEM images of fractured surface and contact angles.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.333-339
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to enhance bond performance between recycled PET (polyethylene telephthalat) fiber and cement composites through hydrophilic treatment using maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene(mPP). The mPP with various concentration of 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% to determine effect on bond behavior of recycled PET fiber were applied as experimental variables. Dog bone shaped specimens according to JCI SF-8 was applied to evaluate the bond strength and pullout energy. The results showed increased bond strength and pullout energy as concentration of mPP. Concentration of 15% mPP showed the most effective results while 20% showed reduced performance results. Because 15% mPP ensures perfect coating while 20% makes thick coating area that resulted in crack propagation and consequent separation of PET fiber and coated area during pullout load occurred. Enhancement mechanism of bond performance of recycled PET fiber and cement composites with each concentration of mPP could be conformed through investigation of microstructure of fiber surface.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.318-325
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• 2006

Polypropylene-clay nanocomposites were studied by the modification of clay with amino silanes to introduce covalent bonds in nanocomposites, and prepared by melt-compounding with polypropylene, clay modified with amino silanes and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene. The . .structure and surface properties of modified clay were determined by x-ray diffraction, infrared spectrum, and solid-state $^{29}Si$ nuclear magnetic resonance spectrum. The modification of clay with aminosilanes led to the increase of the silicate interlayers to about $19.8{\AA}$, the weakening effects of hydroxy group at $3650cm^{-1}$ and the signal of amine groups at -69 ppm proved that the modification had taken place.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.177-187
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• 2001

Polypropylene(PP)/polyurethane(PU) blends with reactive compatibilizers were prepared by the compositional quenching process. Maleic anhydride grafted PP(MPP) and hydroxyethyl maleimide grafted PP(HPP) were introduced as reactive compatibilizers. The formation of HPP and the reactions of compatibilizers with the PU components were confirmed by FT-IR spectroscopy. The morphology, tensile properties, thermal stability, and surface property were studied. The blends prepared by the compositional quenching showed better dispersed domain morphology than the melt blends. The PU domain size became more uniform and reduced in size with increasing the amount of compatibilizers. The blends with HPP showed sightly smaller domain sire than the blends with MPP. The blends with compatibilizers all showed improved tensile properties, surface property. and thermal stability due to the interfacial adhesion effect. The blends with MPP showed higher surface energy than the blends with HPP, but the latter showed better thermal stability compared to the former.

• Macromolecular Research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.6-14
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• 2008

Polypropylene (PP)-layered silicate nanocomposites were developed using a new processing method involving a supercritical carbon dioxide ($scCO_2$)-assisted co-rotating twin-screw extrusion process. The nanocomposites were prepared through two step extrusion processes. In the first step, the PP/clay mixture was extruded with $CO_2$ injected into the barrel of the extruder and the resulting foamed extrudate was cooled and pelletized. In the second step, the foamed extrudate was extruded with venting to produce the final PP/clay nanocomposites without $CO_2$. In this study, organophilic-clay and polypropylene matrix were used. Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer. This study focused on the effect of $scCO_2$ on the dispersion characteristics of the clays into a PP matrix and the rheological properties of the layered silicate based PP nanocomposites. The dispersion properties of clays in the nanocomposites as well as the rheological properties of the nanocomposites were examined as a function of the PP-g-MA concentration. The degree of dispersion of the clays in the nanocomposites was analyzed by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope. Various rheological properties of the nanocomposites were measured using a rotational rheometer. In the experimental results, the $scCO_2$ assisted continuous manufacturing extrusion system was used to successfully produce the organophilic-clay filled PP nanocomposites. It was found that $scCO_2$ had a measurable effect on the clay dispersion in the polymer matrix and the melt intercalation of a polymer into clay layers.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.23-29
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• 2009

We investigated effects of a compatibilizer on the rheological properties during mixing and thermal properties of polypropylene (PP)-natural fiber composites. Two types of natural fibers (cotton fiber and wood fiber) were compared. maleic anhydride grafted PP was used for a compatibilizer. On increasing the amounts of the compatibilizer, the torque values of composites were increased, regardless of the kind of fibers. X-ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) results showed a slight increase in the degree of crystallinity with adding the compaibilizing agent, while the effects of the kind of fibers were marginal. It may be considered, however, the cotton fiber exhibits better interaction with PP-g-MAH than the natural fiber based on the rheographs, DSC, and XRD results.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.262-272
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• 2003

Maleic anhydride-grafted-polypropylene(PP-g-MA) were used as a blend component and a compatibilizer, respectively, for two reactive blends of polyamide 66(PA 66)PP-g-MA binary blends and PA 66/polypropylene(PP)/PP-g-MA ternary blends. The goal of this work was to investigate the property differences between binary and ternary blends. Tensile strength, flexural modulus, heat deflection temperature, impact strength, melt flow index, and the dependence of melt viscosity on the shear rate were examined. The impact strengths of binary blends were higher than those of ternary blends at all compositions, since the in situ synthesis of PP-g-PA 66 copolymer through the imide formation between the amine end group of PA 66 and the anhydride group of PP-g-MA gave the increase of molecular weight and was more popular in binary blends than in ternary blends. In case of ternary blends, most of the properties were superior to those of binary blends, owing to the better properties of PP compared with PP-g-MA. The toughened binary blends with 70/30(PA 66/PP-g-MA) and 80/20 ratios were not commercially applicable due to their poor processibility. So, the ternary blends which showed lower melt viscosities were recommended for the commercial applications.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.8
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• pp.1136-1140
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• 1999

Melt blends of polymide 6(PA6) and polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride(PP-g-MA) were prepared to study the influence of chemical reaction between the two polymer components. The tensile, flexural, izod impact, dynamic mechanical properties and phase structure were investigated for this blend system. Tensile strength and modulus of the blends showed synergetic effect upon blending of two polymer components. Flexural properties maintained the value of numerical mean calculated from the weight ratio of two components. Also, notched izod impact strengths showed maximum in th PA6/PP-g-MA 50/50 wt % blend. From the change of tan ${\delta}$ observed, we confirmed the increase of miscibility in this blend system by chemical reaction between PA6 and PP-g-MA. Blends of good impact resistance could be obtained when the PP-g-MA particles of $2{\mu}m$ was dispersed in the PA6 matrix.

• Journal of Adhesion and Interface
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.26-31
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• 2006

In order to effectively improve interfacial adhesion strength between polypropylene (PP) and jute fiber, we particularly incorporated maleic anhydride grafted PP (MAPP) into the matrix through the environment-friendly process without an additional method of process and had better mechanical performances by providing the alignment into the natural fiber than those of the conventional fabrication technology such as an extrusion or injection molding. We also proposed hot pressing method which applied relatively low shear to the composites and confirmed the chemical bonds among the functional groups of MAPP and jute using FT-IR approach. The concentration of MAPP for maximum tensile strength and modulus was optimized at 3 wt%. Flexural properties had no noticeable tendency to increase with MAPP contents compared to tensile strength, which could probably be explained by the degree in wetting of PP/MAPP matrix.