Distinct Melt Viscoelastic Properties of Hovel Nanostructured and Microstructured Thermoplastic Elastomeric Blends from Polyamide 6 and Fluoroelastomer

Distinct melt viscoelastic properties of novel polyamide 6 (PA6)/fluoroelastomer (FKM) thermoplastic elastomeric blends have been reported with special reference to the micro- and nano-structures. In the entire frequency regime (0.0628-628 rad/s), nanostructured blend (the average dimension of the dispersed rubber phase, D(similar to)90 nm) exhibited higher complex viscosity than the microstructured blend (D(similar to)0.35 mu m). The values of various interfacial parameters such as specific interfacial area per unit volume, interfacial tension, interaction parameter, interfacial thickness and infrared spectroscopic analysis confirmed the existence of more contact surface area between the blend components in nanostructured blend which increased intermolecular interaction. Due to the existence of greater restriction of mobility of the polymer chains, the relaxation time for the nanostructured blend was higher than that of the microstructured blend. The etched extrudate surface morphology was studied using field emission scanning electron microscopy and correlated with viscoelastic response of the blends.