Polymer Bulletin, Vol.36, No.6, 687-694, 1996
Synthesis and Characterization of App/Aps Graft-Copolymers
Graft copolymers of atactic polypropylene (aPP) and polystyrene (PS) were synthesized and characterized by C-13 NMR analysis. The C-13 NMR spectra of the grafts exhibited changes with respect to physical blends of identical compositions. The most important occurred in the meso sequences of the aPP blocks of the copolymer. These changes suggest that some grafting took place during the synthesis. SEM micrographs indicate greater interfacial interaction between phases in the copolymers than in the physical blends. Thermal Analysis showed that the Tg of the copolymers is higher than that of the PS homopolymers prepared under the same conditions. This could be the result of an apparent increased in molecular weight caused by the grafting of the aPS into the aPP chains. TGA results indicated that the thermal stability of the copolymer decreases as the aPP content in the copolymer increases.