Elastomer-Mediated Interparticle Coupling Promotes Low-Threshold Rheological Network Formation in EPDM-g-MA-Compatibilized PP/Talc Composites
- 1Polymer Materials Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Yalova University, Yalova 77100, Turkey
- 2Polyshield Engineering Consultancy and R&D Co., Yalova 77100, Turkey
Abstract
Conventional compatibilization of polypropylene (PP)/mineral composites primarily improves local filler–matrix adhesion and dispersion. This study provides evidence for an elastomer-mediated interparticle bridging mechanism in which maleic anhydride-grafted ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM-g-MA) extends talc-associated polymer regions and promotes long-range elastic connectivity between neighboring platelets. Composites containing 5–40 wt% talc and 2.5–20 wt% EPDM-g-MA were characterized by frequency sweep, stress relaxation, strain sweep, and scanning electron microscopy. PP-g-MA and hybrid PP-g-MA/EPDM systems served as controls to distinguish conventional MA-mediated adhesion, independent elastomer addition, and their integration within EPDM-g-MA. PP-g-MA improved local interfacial continuity without promoting early network formation, whereas the hybrid systems failed to reproduce the low-threshold response of EPDM-g-MA. The apparent rheological network threshold decreased from approximately 40 wt% talc in the uncompatibilized system to approximately 30 wt% at 2.5–5 wt% EPDM-g-MA, 20 wt% at 10 wt%, and ≤5 wt% at 20 wt%. Effective interaction-volume analysis provides a geometric basis for the observed threshold reduction, while the combined rheological and morphological results support the development of talc-associated polymer regions into stress-bearing elastomer-mediated coupling. These findings establish compatibilizer architecture as a powerful strategy for controlling low-threshold melt-state network formation in PP/talc composites.
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BibTeX
@article{keskin2026elastomermediated,
title = {{Elastomer-Mediated Interparticle Coupling Promotes Low-Threshold Rheological Network Formation in EPDM-g-MA-Compatibilized PP/Talc Composites}},
author = {Zeynep Keskin and Furkan Sarisoy and Gökçe Yilmaz and Zuhal Yurtbasi and Emine Kasgoz and Alper Kasgoz},
journal = {Polymers},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.3390/polym18192396},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666641},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Elastomer-Mediated Interparticle Coupling Promotes Low-Threshold Rheological Network Formation in EPDM-g-MA-Compatibilized PP/Talc Composites
AU - Zeynep Keskin
AU - Furkan Sarisoy
AU - Gökçe Yilmaz
AU - Zuhal Yurtbasi
AU - Emine Kasgoz
AU - Alper Kasgoz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/30
JO - Polymers
DO - 10.3390/polym18192396
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13666641
AB - Conventional compatibilization of polypropylene (PP)/mineral composites primarily improves local filler–matrix adhesion and dispersion. This study provides evidence for an elastomer-mediated interparticle bridging mechanism in which maleic anhydride-grafted ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM-g-MA) extends talc-associated polymer regions and promotes long-range elastic connectivity between neighboring platelets. Composites containing 5–40 wt% talc and 2.5–20 wt% EPDM-g-MA were characterized by frequency sweep, stress relaxation, strain sweep, and scanning electron microscopy. PP-g-MA and hybrid PP-g-MA/EPDM systems served as controls to distinguish conventional MA-mediated adhesion, independent elastomer addition, and their integration within EPDM-g-MA. PP-g-MA improved local interfacial continuity without promoting early network formation, whereas the hybrid systems failed to reproduce the low-threshold response of EPDM-g-MA. The apparent rheological network threshold decreased from approximately 40 wt% talc in the uncompatibilized system to approximately 30 wt% at 2.5–5 wt% EPDM-g-MA, 20 wt% at 10 wt%, and ≤5 wt% at 20 wt%. Effective interaction-volume analysis provides a geometric basis for the observed threshold reduction, while the combined rheological and morphological results support the development of talc-associated polymer regions into stress-bearing elastomer-mediated coupling. These findings establish compatibilizer architecture as a powerful strategy for controlling low-threshold melt-state network formation in PP/talc composites.
SN - 2073-4360
ER -