Reaction in the Melt of Post-consumer Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) with Ester Functionalized Polyolefins

The blending of PET from post-consumer packaging products with polyolefins can provide toughened materials. PET and polyolefins are immiscible polymers and to the above purpose, different method of reactive compatibilization are investigated to achieve a fine dispersion of polyolefin domains into a PET matrix. The use of a functionalized polyolefin, bearing reactive groups toward PET terminals, is a promising route to obtain grafted copolymers acting as interface stabilizers. In particular the use in the melt blending of ester or hydroxyl functionalized polyolefins in the presence of transesterification catalysts and or anhydride functionalized polyolefins as compatibilizer precursors were both investigated by focusing onto the relevant chemical aspects. The prepared blends were analyzed through suitable fractionation methods, such as selective extractions, and spectroscopic analysis in order to identify the molecular architecture of the PET-polyolefin copolymers macromolecules resulting from the process and study their effectiveness at the interface region. Moreover the phase morphology and the thermo-mechanical properties were investigated and correlated to structure of the macromolecular species in the system..