Thermogravimetric and crystallinity studies of ER/PS blends

Abstract

Thermoplastic elastomeric blends of polystyrene (PS) and exudated resin (ER) were prepared by solution casting technique. The decomposition behavior of these blends was studied by thermogravimetric analysis. The effect of blend ratio and cross linking on the thermal behavior of ER/PS blend system was studied. An enhancement in thermal stability was observed by the addition of ER into polystyrene. The activation energy of degradation was calculated by using Horowitz-Metzger equation. X-ray diffraction technique was employed to study the crystalline nature of the blend system. A decrease in crystallinity was found for the blends with increase in ER content.
Keywords: Thermogravimetry, polymer blend, polystyrene, crystallinity