Mechanical properties of polystyrene/polyamide 6 blends compatibilized with the ionomer poly(styrene-<TOGGLE>co</TOGGLE>-sodium acrylate)

The compatibilizing effect of the ionomer, poly(styrene-co-sodium acrylate) (PSSAc), on immiscible blends of polystyrene (PS)/polyamide 6 (PA6) was studied by mechanical tests and scanning electron microscopy. The PSSAc acts as an effective compatibilizer because both the deformation at break (%) obtained by tensile stress–strain tests and the impact rupture energy are larger in blends containing small amounts of PSSAc. The morphologies of the fractured surfaces produced by tensile stress–strain tests of blends with or without the ionomer confirm that PSSAc increases the interfacial adhesion between PS and PA6 phases. &#169; 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 2545–2551, 2004