Toughening of polypropylene by elastomer‐coated brominated polystyrene

Abstract

AbstractBrominated polystyrene (BPS) is an effective additive for improving fire retardancy of polymers. However, BPS reduces impact strength due to its brittleness and poor compatibility with most polymer matrices. The present study aims at using BPS both as a flame retardant and as a toughening agent to improve polymer properties. Specifically, styrene‐ethylene‐butylene‐styrene (SEBS) elastomer was chosen as a compatibilizer to control dispersion and particle size of BPS in polypropylene (PP). By choosing appropriate type and amount of SEBS and proper processing parameters, it is found that both impact fracture toughness and fire retardancy of PP can be greatly enhanced. The impact fracture mechanisms responsible for the observed toughening effect is investigated. The usefulness of the above study for the preparation of multifunctional fire‐retardant particles for enhancing polymer properties is also discussed.