Polyamide 6 (PA6) is a semicrystalline polymer suitable to be used in engineering applications with a number of advantages, but its processing instability and relatively low impact strength are limiting aspects. The addition of acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS) as an impact modifier to PA6 can improve these properties. However, this blend is immiscible and incompatible, hence the use of an adhesion promoter is necessary to improve the interfacial interaction between the phases. This study focuses on the influence of poly(methyl methacrylate-co-glycidyl methacrylate) (MMA-GMA) and poly(methyl methacrylate-co-maleic anhydride) (MMA-MA) copolymers as compatibilizers for PA6/ABS blends. These copolymers are miscible with SAN phase of ABS due to the presence of PMMA and they have also the esther and anhydride functional groups capable of reacting with polyamide end groups. PA6/ABS/MMA-MA blends showed an excellent impact performance, being super-tough at room temperature and maintaining a good ductility in subambient temperatures.
Compatibilization; toughness; polyamide; ABS
