Abstract
The properties of a composite consisting of low density polyethylene (LDPE) filled with wood flour were investigated in a broad concentration range of the filler. The adhesion between the matrix and the filler was increased via peroxide-initiated crosslinking. A decrease in both tensile strength and elongation at break and modest increase in Young's modulus with rising filler content was found for uncrosslinked samples. Crosslinking results in a substantial increase of tensile strength and extreme rise of the Young's modulus values with an increase of both filler content and peroxide concentration, compared to uncrosslinked composites. A formation of covalent bonds between the filler surface and polymer chains are proposed as the reason for the observed effect of crosslinking. The extraction and swelling data are presented to support this explanation.
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