Preparation and investigation of mechanical properties of thermoplastic vulcanizate based on polypropylene/ polybutadiene rubber in the presence of acrylic acid modified polybutadiene compatibilizer

Thermoplastic vulcanized (TPVs) with high abrasion resistance based on BR / PP and BR / Ac-BR / PP were prepared using melt mixing method under dynamic vulcanization condition. First, the mechanical (tensile strength, elongation at break and abrasion resistance) properties of BR and BR/ Ac-BR compounds were evaluated. The results show that although the abrasion resistance of rubber compound is much higher than pure BR, it has lower tensile strength and elongation at break. TPV samples were then prepared from BR / PP and BR / Ac-BR / PP with a rubber / plastic ratio phase of 70 to 30. The results showed that TPVs based on BR / Ac-BR / PP in which a finer vulcanized rubber particles are dispersed in the plastic matrix, exhibit higher abrasion resistance and tensile strength. Also, differential temperature scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis shows a lower crystallinity degree of TPV based on BR / Ac-BR / PP, which is due to better dispersion of smaller micro-size of vulcanized rubber particles in PP, promoting better rubber-plastic matrix interaction in TPV. This has also been investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of the samples.