Characterization of crystalline structure and free volume of polyamide 6/nitrile rubber elastomer thermoplastic vulcanizates: Effect of the processing additives

Blends of polyamide 6 and nitrile rubber (PA6/NBR) dynamically vulcanized may generate innovative products for special purposes where both high temperature and chemical resistance are key factors. In this investigation, we show that the crystalline nature of the PA6 can be controlled in terms of its morphological aspects (degree of crystallinity, crystal size, and structure) as a consequence of the presence of NBR and processing additives. Our results indicate that this crystalline control is dependent on the plasticization caused by the processing additives. Furthermore, imide-like linkage formation was favored in the presence of ethylene-co-vinyl acetate (EVA)-g-maleic anhydride, resulting in changes in the molecular mobility of the PA6 matrix, crystallization parameters, and viscoelastic properties when compared to the others EVA additives. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2017, 134, 45576.