Molecular design of multicomponent polymer systems. XVI. Emulsification of polystyrene and nylon-6 by a reactive block copolymer

One of the most attractive routes for alloying two incompatible polymers is the use of polymeric emulsifiers. The validity and applicability of this concept were widely demonstrated in the emulsification of polyethylene and polystyrene. This article aims at reporting preliminary results on the emulsification of polystyrene and nylon-6 blends by polystyrene-poly(methyl methacrylate-co-methacrylic acid) diblock copolymers, the carboxylic acid groups resulting from partial hydrolysis of methyl methacrylate units.