Physical properties of polyamide 6/H-NBR blends and the effects of dynamic vulcanization on them

Polyamide 6 (PA 6) and hydrogenated nitrile rubber (H-NBR) were blended with various blend ratios in a brabender plasticoder at 240°C/100 rpm. The processing characteristics with a mixing torque of the blends were investigated. The effect of the blend ratio on physical properties such as tensile strength, Young's modulus, elongation at break, permanent set, hardness, and swelling behavior of blends was analyzed. Most mechanical properties were found to decrease with an addition of H-NBR. The morphology of the blends was observed, and the results show a two phase system where the component with high proportions exists as a continuous phase. A cocontinuous phase was observed in blend ratios of 50/50 and 40/60. Dynamic mechanical properties were observed to study a viscoelastic property of the blends. In addition, the effect of dynamic vulcanization with peroxide on physical properties was studied, and the influence of peroxide on PA 6 was also examined. It was found that the peroxide can have an effect on PA 6 as well as act as a crosslinker to H-NBR. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011