Enhanced interfacial adhesion between an amorphous polymer (polystyrene) and a semicrystalline polymer [a polyamide (nylon 6)].

We studied enhanced interfacial adhesion between an amorphous polymer (polystyrene, PS) and a semicrystalline polymer (a polyamide, Ny6). The fracture mechanism for this system was investigated to elicit a universal description on the fracture mechanism. The surface modification of PS to provide functional groups that can react with the functional groups of Ny6 was carried out with ion-beam and/or plasma treatment. These surface modifications were found to alter the interfacial adhesion strength between PS and Ny6. A remarkable enhancement was found with the surface functionalization of PS. Though the fracture toughness was varied depending on the process, its overall behavior was quite similar to that of others; the fracture toughness increased with increasing bonding temperature and bonding time, passed through a peak, and then decreased with a further increase of the bonding time or temperature. The variation of the fracture toughness with the bonding time and temperature can be plausibly explained in ...