Monomer casting nylon-6-b-polyether amine copolymers: Synthesis and antistatic property

MC nylon-6-b-polyether amine(PEA)copolymers were synthesized with macroinitiator based on amino-terminated PEA functionalized with isocyanate via in situ polymerization. It was found that introduction of PEA delayed the polymerization process of caprolactam, resulting in the decrease of molecular weight of the copolymer. With increasing content of PEA, the melting peak started declining and widening, while the crystallinity and crystal grain size decreased, indicating weakening of the crystallization ability of nylon-6 matrix. The fracture surfaces of the copolymer changed from irregular mosaic to the striation, presenting tough fracture characteristic, and the notched impact strength of the copolymers were improved dramatically. The electrical resistivity of the copolymers was increased by three orders of magnitude, and kept stable with prolonging storage time, indicating a permanently antistatic ability. The improved antistatic mechanism was deduced by the increase of concentration of oxygen atom and CO group on the surface of the copolymers with increasing PEA content. The water contact angle decreased and surface tension increased, and finally the hydrophilicity of the copolymers was enhanced, resulting in the fairly good antistatic behavior of the copolymers by absorbing moisture from air. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 56:817-828, 2016. (c) 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers