Effects of a new compatibilizer on the mechanical properties of TPU/PEBA blends

In this work, to improve the mechanical properties of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), polyether-block-amide elastomer (PEBA) was used to modify it through a blending method. Due to the low compatibility of the two, a polyurethane with one end blocked with an isocyanate group and one end blocked with two epoxy groups was prepared as a compatibilizer, named as E-PU-I. And a series of TPU/PEBA blends with different components were prepared using a torque rheometer, and the effects of E-PU-I on the microstructure, phase interface interaction, rheological properties and mechanical properties of the blends were investigated. It proves that E-PU-I improves the compatibility between TPU and PEBA, resulting in more uniform dispersion of PEBA in TPU and smaller particle size, thus improving the overall performance of the blends. In addition, when the critical E-PU-I content is around 3.2 parts, the mechanical properties of the blends have been significantly improved.