Study of compatibility between aliphatic polyketone terpolymer and poly(styrene‐r‐acrylonitrile)

ABSTRACT Compatibility studies have been conducted for polyketone (PK) and styrene–acrylonitrile (SAN) blends in which SAN polymers have different acrylonitrile (AN) contents. Measurements of mechanical properties exhibit the immiscibility of PK/SAN blends. Glass transition temperature shifts and width broadening of the glass transition mean partial compatibility in the amorphous region of the PK/SAN blends. Peak shifts of the CO functional group are larger for PK/SAN48 than that of PK/SAN40 blend. In morphological observations, the dispersed domains appear more refined for the PK/SAN48 blend and the PK/SAN48 blend has better boundary adhesion between the two phases. The Flory–Huggins interaction parameters simulated for the PK/SAN mixture were at a low level and the PK/SAN48 blend showed lower values than the PK/SAN40 blend. This means that the PK/SAN polymer blend is partially compatible in the amorphous region. The level of compatibility tends to increase as the AN content of the SAN polymer increases. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48743. A good agreement is shown between morphological images and simulated result of compatibility for aliphatic polyketone (PK) and stryrene‐r‐acrylonitrile (SAN)copolymer with different AN contents.