Abstract
Nano-sized silica was pre-grafted with poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (PGMA) by solution
free-radical polymerization. When these grafted silica particles were melt compounded with
polypropylene (PP), reactive compatibilization effect was perceived due to the chemical bonding
between the PGMA and amine functionalized PP, which led to a significant increase of tensile
strength and notch impact strength of PP at rather low filler content. Accordingly, compatibility of
each kind of the functionalized PP with grafted SiO2 was evaluated through investigating the
mechanical properties, crystallization behavior and rheological performance of the composites. The
results show that the reactive compatibilization is capable of providing stronger interfacial adhesion.