This research paper explores the morphology of PVC/PE mixtures and investigates the effects of compatibilizers and mixing conditions on particle size and distribution. The study reveals that the addition of chlorinated polyethylene or graft copolymers of PVC with PE leads to smaller particle sizes and improved dispersion of the dispersed phase. These findings demonstrate the importance of compatibilizers in achieving a desirable morphology. The research also highlights the differences in morphology development between PVC-matrix and PE-matrix mixtures. In PVC-matrix blends, the compatibilizer and higher mixing speeds result in finer dispersion and uniform distribution of PE particles. Conversely, PE-matrix mixtures exhibit distinct separation into finely dispersed areas and regions with aggregated PVC particles. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into optimizing the morphology of PVC/PE mixtures, leading to improved properties. It sets the groundwork for future research on enhancing deformation characteristics through phase separation synergy and crosslinking of the PE matrix.

In this work, the influence of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) content on thermal and me-chanical properties of polypropylene (PP) composites with two types of clays, differing modifier density in the interlayer space, Cloisite15A and Cloisite20A, was studied. PP/clay composites were melt blended in presence of different content of PP-g-MA from 3, 6, 9, and 12 wt.%. It was found that Cloisite15A with a high density of the modifier promotes the formation of intercalated structures, while Cloisite20A with a low density of the modifier, predominantly exfoliated nanocomposites are formed. In the first case, the structure tends to become intercalated whilst composites with Cloisite20A favor the formation of predominantly exfo-liated structures. The formation of the nanocomposite is accompanied by a significant increase in thermal sta-bility (50 % weight loss is observed at temperatures of 360 °C and 430 °C for polypropylene and nanocomposites based on it, respectively). An analysis of the mechanical properties of nanocomposites gen-erally indicates an increase in the elastic modulus by 15–20 %, and this effect is more pronounced for exfoli-ated structures, the yield strength practically does not change and the elongation at break decreases noticeably.

Strength-strain, sorption, thermal, and fire-resistance properties of nanocomposites based on linear low-density polyethylene with montmorillonite modified with a quaternary phosphonium salt were studied. It is shown that the diffusion, sorption, and permeability of the nanocomposites depends on the type of a montmorillonite and its concentration in the polymer, and also on the nature of a penetrant and degree of its thermodynamic affinity for the polymer. Introduction of up to 3 wt % organomontmorillonite improves the thermal stability by more than 90°, raises the oxygen index to 20 vol %, and makes the elastic modulus 47% larger relative to the base polymer due to the nanostructural morphology formed in the course of mixing.