| Abstract: | β‐Polypropylene composites containing calcium carbonate treated by titanate coupling agent (T‐CaCO3) and maleic anhydride grafted PP (PP‐g‐MAH) were prepared by melt compounding. The crystallization, morphology and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry, wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction, polarized light microscopy, scanning electron microscopy and mechanical tests. It is found that both T‐CaCO3 and NT‐C are able to induce the formation of β‐phase, and NT‐C greatly increases the β content and decreases the spherulitic size of PP. PP‐g‐MAH facilitates the formation of β‐form PP and improves the compatibility between T‐CaCO3 and PP. Izod notched impact strength of β‐PP/T‐CaCO3 composite is higher than that of PP/T‐CaCO3 composite, indicating the synergistic toughening effect of T‐CaCO3 and β‐PP. Incorporation of PP‐g‐MAH into β‐PP/T‐CaCO3 composite further increases the content of β‐crystal PP and improves the impact strength and tensile strength when T‐CaCO3 concentration is below 5 wt%. The nonisothermal crystallization kinetics of β‐PP composites is well described by Jeziorny's and Mo's methods. It is found that NT‐C and T‐CaCO3 accelerate the crystallization rate of PP but the influence of PP‐g‐MAH on crystallization rate of β‐PP composite is marginal. POLYM. COMPOS., 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers |
