Investigation of blending sequence effect on the properties of multi‐component polypropylene/polyamide‐6 blends incorporating clay nanocomposites

Abstract Polypropylene (PP) and polyamide‐6 (PA) blends are widely studied for their potential to combine complementary properties such as toughness and strength. However, improving the compatibility and performance of these blends remains a challenge, particularly in multi‐component systems and in the presence of nanofillers such as clay. In this paper, we investigated the rheological, morphological, thermal, structural, and mechanical properties of PP and PA blends with 20:80, 50:50, and 80:20 weight ratios. We obtained PP and PA nanocomposites with clay through melt blending and formulated multi‐component PP/PA systems by mixing PP nanocomposite with PA, PA nanocomposite with PP, and PP nanocomposite with PA nanocomposite. Additionally, we created uncompatibilized and compatibilized PP/PA blends to compare their properties with the multi‐component PP/PA systems. Rheological and morphological measurements revealed the compatibilization effect of the clay while X‐ray diffraction (XRD) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed enhancement of crystallization thanks to the nucleating effect of the clay particles. From a mechanical standpoint, blending the PP composite with PA in an 80:20 weight ratio exhibited the most balanced combination of strength and toughness, suggesting potential applications where both properties are crucial. Highlights Clay demonstrates compatibilization ability in PP/PA blends. Intercalation and exfoliation enhance the mechanical properties of polymers. PP/PA blends with clay crystallize better than those with PP‐g‐MA. PA/PPClay demonstrates the best balance between strength and toughness.

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