The dynamic rheology and morphology of
poly(trimethylene terephthalate) and maleic anhydride
grafted poly(ethylene octene) composites were investigated.
A specific viscoelastic phenomenon, that is, a second
plateau, appeared at low frequencies and exhibited a
certain dependence on the content of elastomer particles
and the temperature. This phenomenon was attributed to
the formation of an aggregation structure of rubber particles.
The analyses of the dynamic viscoelastic functions
suggested that the heterogeneity of the composites was
enhanced as the particle content or temperature increased.
The microstructural observation by scanning electron microscopy
confirmed that maleic anhydride could react
with the end groups of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) to
form a stable interfacial layer and result in a smaller
dispersed-phase particle size due to the reduced interface
tension. VC 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 115:
1015–1021, 2010