Effect of Compatibilizers on the Properties of Nano-Hydroxyapatite Reinforced Polyamide 66 and High Density Polyethylene Blends

The compatibility efficiency on different compatibilizer for nano-hydroxyapatite (n-HA) reinforced polyamide 66 (PA66) and high density polyethylene (HDPE) blends at a composition of 40/42/18 as functionalized biomaterial was investigated by mechanical properties testing and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that mechanical properties of compatibilized blends were much improved by the compatibilizers of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE-g-MAH) and ethylene/methacrylic acid ionomer-sodium ion (ION) compared with the uncompatibilized blends. Blends had peak mechanical values of different compatibilizer. Both PE-g and ION formed adhesion during melt mixing and stabilized the morphology and significantly reduced the size of dispersed PE phase. PE-g gave the blends with PE spheres ranging from 1 to 4µm and ION with well-dispersed spheres with an average diameter of 1µm. The more enlarged interphase of the blends containing ION reduced the lower interfacial energy to increase the miscibiliy of the blends. Consequently, ION had better contribution to rigidity properties than PE-g for n-HA/PA/PE blends.