Rheological behavior of polypropylene/octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane composites

The reactive blending composites of isotactic polypropylene (PP)/octavinyl polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) were prepared in the presence of dicumyl peroxide. Comparison of the rheological behavior of physical and reactive blending composites was made by oscillatory rheological measurements. It was found that the viscosity of physical blending composites drops at lower POSS content (0.5-1 Wt %) and thereafter increases with increasing POSS content; that of reactive blending composites increases with increasing POSS content and displays a solid-like rheological behavior at low frequency region when POSS content is higher than 1 wt %. The deviation of reactive blending composites from the scaling log G'-log G '' of linear polymer in Han plot, upturning at high viscosity in Cole-Cole plot, and from van Gurp-Palmen plot are related to the gelation behavior reactively. (C) 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.