ISOTACTIC POLYPROPYLENE HYDROGENATED OLIGO(CYCLOPENTADIENE) BLENDS .2. TENSILE-STRESS STRAIN AND MORPHOLOGICAL BEHAVIOR OF ANNEALED SAMPLES

Mechanical tensile tests and morphological analyses were carried out on samples of isotactic polypropylene/hydrogenated oligo(cyclopentadiene) (iPP/HOCP) blends. The blends were obtained by melt mixing in a Brabender-like apparatus. Sheets of such blends were prepared by moulding the material under pressure, quenching in iced water and then annealing them in an oven at 140-degrees-C under vacuum for 24 h. Stress-strain tensile tests, previously obtained at room temperature, were performed at higher temperatures (80-degrees-C and 100-degrees-C). Morphology observations were performed by scanning electron microscopy after treatment of the blends with two different etching solvents (n-heptane and chloroform) at their boiling temperatures for various times in order to dissolve the HOCP component. An acid solution with a strong oxidizing action was used as well. In all the investigated blends (from pure iPP to up to 80% HOCP in the blend) the iPP molecules provide the material interconnection, as evidenced by fibre formation. The transition from ductile to brittle in the mechanical behaviour depends on temperature and composition.