Effect of the Compounding Method on the Development of High-Performance Binary and Ternary Blends Based on PPE

The polymer blends are an effective strategy for materials design with new properties in the plastic industry; such features may depend on the blend components and the processing method. This study aimed to understand the effect of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) content and its architecture on blends based on polyphenylene ether (PPE), high-impact polystyrene (HIPS), and SBS. In addition, this research compared and analyzed the blends formulated by different processing methods: twin-screw extrusion (TSE) and internal mixing (IM). Furthermore, three SBS copolymers, two radial and one linear (with different molecular weights), were used to produce PPE/HIPS/SBS blends, analyzing which SBS copolymer feature provides excellent viscoelasticity, thermomechanical properties, and impact resistance. The findings revealed that the melt processing method played a crucial role in Izod impact resistance of the PPE/HIPS/SBS blends, as well as the molecular architecture, molecular weight, and SBS content. The findings also demonstrated that the TSE process is more effective than the IM. Since the PPE/HIPS/SBS blends displayed higher Izod impact resistance than the PPE/HIPS or PPE/SBS binary blends, a synergistic effect of SBS and HIPS is suggested.