Study on the Mechanical Properties of PP/EPDM/Mesoporous MCM-41 Composites

Nano-sized as-synthesized MCM-41 (with template) particle, whose pore channels and outer surface are full of organic CTAB template, is used as compatibilizers for immiscible polypropylene (PP)/ethylene–propylene–diene terpolymer (EPDM) blends. The mechanical properties of PP/EPDM/mesoporous MCM-41 ternary composites are investigated. The nano-structured MCM-41 (without template) material constituted by an ordered network of hexagonal channels is selected to compare with as-synthesized MCM-41 (with template) in mechanical properties of PP/EPDM blend. The results shows that tensile strength of the blend is increased by 13.6% and the impact strength is increased by 71.6% by addition 2 wt% content of as-synthesized MCM-41 (with template) compared to pure PP/EPDM. The presence of MCM-41(without template) in the blend cannot improve the mechanical properties obviously. SEM reveals that the enhancement of the interface is obtained by adding MCM-41 (with template). SEM also indicates that incorporation of as-synthesized MCM-41 (with template) into PP/EPDM blend can act as compatibilizer, which results in a decreased particle size of dispersion phase together with morphological evidence of interfacial adhesion. However, with the presence of MCM-41 (without template), the interface do not show clearly change compared with the PP/EPDM blend. The PP/EPDM/MCM-41 (with template) composites show higher tensile strength and impact strength than the PP /EPDM / MCM-41 (without template).