COMPATIBILIZATION OF IONOMERIC POLYBLENDS BY INTERMOLECULAR IONIC INTERACTIONS

lonomeric polyblends based on the zinc salt of carboxylated nitrile rubber, abbreviated as Zn-XNBR, and the zinc salt of poly(ethylene-co-methacrylic acid), abbreviated as Zn-EMA, were prepared by melt blending technique. Zn-XNBR/ZnEMA ionomeric polyblends, the the compositions ranging from 90/10 to 50/50. parts by weight, behave as ionic thermoplastic elastomers, and show synergism in physical properties. The synergism in physical properties is attributed to the formation of a technologically compatible polyblend, wherein intermolecular ionic interactions between the neat ionomers take part in the cornpatibilization mechanism. Dynamic mechanical thermal analyses show a high temperature transition, owing to the presence of ionic clusters in the neat ionomers and the ionomeric polyblends. The ionoineric polyblend exhibits higher physical properties and melt viscosity than the corresponding non-ionomeric polyblend.