Preparation and analysis of high toughness casting nylon 6 / nanometre Nitrile Rubber copolymer alloys

Casting nylon 6 (MCPA6) / nanometre Nitrile Rubber (nano-NBR) copolymer alloys had been prepared by in situ anionic polymerization. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) study shows that the nitrile group of nano-NBR occurred alkaline hydrolysis reaction and participated in copolymerization with caprolactam. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) reveals that the interface interactions between nanometre Nitrile Rubber and MCPA6 in the alloys changed with the amount of the nanometre Nitrile Rubber added. With 2% nanometre Nitrile Rubber (based on weight), the phase morphologies of the alloys indicate the best compatibility of nanometre Nitrile Rubber in MCPA6, with optimal bind strength between nanometre Nitrile Rubber and MCPA6. DSC study indicates that nano-NBR didn´t affect nylon´s original crystal form but increased the proportion of more stable α crystal. Comparing with untreated MCPA6, 2% nanometre Nitrile Rubber increases the alloy´s elongation by 92% and Izod impact strength by 57.5%.