Fabrication of toughened plastic using styrene butadiene rubber-poly (methyl methacrylate) interpenetrating polymer networks

A standard set of interpenetrating polymeric networks (IPNs) has been contrived using an elastomer-styrene butadiene rubber and a thermoplastic poly (methyl methacrylate) through sequential polymerization protocol. This low-cost material can be hopefully engaged as a toughened plastic with co-continuous morphology. Different morphological protocols including Raman imaging are effectively utilized to envisage the effect of blend ratio in IPN fabrication. The different mechanical properties of IPNs revealed that the cross-linking in phases have their own impact. Thermogravimetric analysis is used as an efficient tool to prove the extra thermal stability of IPNs. Of seven different composites theoretical models, the Davies model showed better fit to the experimental data. The etiquette of characterization adopted in this work including mechanical, morphological, and thermal protocols and their correlation with theoretical predictions can definitely be act as a platform for the synthesis of low-cost toughened plastic. [Display omitted] •Facile fabrication of low-cost toughened plastic of SBR (styrene butadiene rubber) and PMMA (poly (methyl methacrylate)] through sequential polymerization protocol was adopted..•Mechanical analysis of IPNs (Interpenetrating Polymeric Networks) in detail and thermal stability comparison using TGA (Thermo gravimetric analysis) were performed.•Morphological exploration of IPNs with AFM (Atomic Force Microscopy), SEM (Scanning Electron Microscopy) Raman imaging and TEM (Transition Electron Microscopy) and theoretical modeling were the salient features of chararcterization protocols.•Bottom–up approach in IPN domain was the speciality of this article.