Effect of Graphene on Polypropylene/Maleic Anhydride-<i>graft</i>-Ethylene–Vinyl Acetate (PP/EVA-<i>g</i>-MA) Blend: Mechanical, Thermal, Morphological, and Rheological Properties

Abstract

We have studied the effect of thermally reduced graphene oxide (TRG) on the properties of polypropylene/maleic anhydride-graft-ethylene–vinyl acetate (PP/EVA-g-MA) blends. In blends without TRG, EVA-g-MA was dispersed as droplets in PP. At low TRG content, the sheets located in the EVA-g-MA phase. At 5 wt %, the morphology was cocontinuous and the domain sizes of EVA-g-MA were small, while TRG sheets were randomly distributed in the blend. The electrical percolation threshold was between 3 and 5 wt %. Melt rheological analysis revealed that PP/EVA-g-MA/TRG nanocomposites exhibited a viscous behavior of up to 3 wt % but showed a solidlike behavior at 5 wt %. The addition of TRG into PP/EVA-g-MA blend up to 3 wt % enhanced the tensile strength and modulus of PP/EVA-g-MA blend, while not adversely affecting its impact strength. PP/EVA-g-MA/TRG nanocomposites exhibited higher electrical and thermal conductivities compared to PP or PP/EVA-g-MA blends.