Structure and properties of PP/SBS/glass fiber hybrid composites. Part I: Crystallization behavior and morphology

Abstract The structure development, crystallization behavior and morphology were studied in hybrid composites made with polypropylene/styrene‐butadiene‐styrene (PP/SBS) containing glass fibers (GF). The techniques applied include optical polarizing microscopy, X‐ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The isothermal crystallization studies of PP/SBS/GF revealed that SBS as well as GF could act as good nucleating agents for PP. However, the nucleation efficiency of GF is much higher than that of the SBS. At high concentrations of SBS (> 30%), the crystallization rate decreases even in the presence of GF. This was attributed to the strong bonding between SBS and glass, giving rise to an intermediate layer of SBS between PP and GF, which was confirmed from the SEM of the fractured morphology of the injection molded hybrid composite. The orientation of GF was observer in the injection molded samples for certain compositions, and this was accompanied by an increase of intensities of particular diffraction peaks in the XRD.