Composition effect on the core-shell morphology and mechanical properties of ternary polystyrene/styrene-butadiene rubber/polyethylene blends

The morphology of ternary polystyrene/styrene-butadiene rubber/polyethylene (PS/SBR/PE) blends has been investigated in the limits of a constant content of the major component (PS; 75 wt%) while changing the weight ratio of the two minor constitutive polymers. A core-shell structure for the dispersed phase has been predicted from the spreading coefficients and observed by transmission electron microscopy. Actually, upon increasing the relative content of PE with respect to SBR, the structure of the dispersed phase changes from a multicore structure to a PE/SBR core-shell morphology. The size of the PE subphase in the mixed dispersed phase increases sharply at a PE content that corresponds to phase inversion in the parent SBR/PE binary blends. The ultimate mechanical properties of these blends are sensitive to the strength of the SBR interphase between PS and PE. Some synergism has been observed in the PE/SBR composition dependence of the tensile strengths at yield and break.