Polypropylene ionic thermoplastic elastomers have been prepared by melt radical grafting of maleic
anhydride onto polypropylene in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide followed by neutralization of the
resulting elastomeric grafted polypropylene using sodium salts. Sodium hydroxide and sodium acetate
were compared in aqueous solution, as anhydrous or hydrated powders. The neutralization reaction was
followed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, allowing the development of a method to determine
the effective neutralization degree. Important physical changes were recorded upon neutralization.
Especially thermal stability, shear storage modulus and complex viscosity in the flow region were largely
increased as a function of the neutralization degree.