Effect of molecular weight on rolled high density polyethylene: 1. Structure, morphology and anisotropic mechanical behaviour

Abstract

Rolled high density polyethylene with various molecular weights was used to study the effect of primary structure on the properties of the material. Keeping the molecular weight distribution at 2, and with similar processing conditions, it was found that the structure, morphology and anisotropic mechanical behaviour depended strongly on the molecular weight. The low molecular weight samples possessed high modulus and yield stress in the roll direction and showed brittle fracture in the direction perpendicular to the roll direction. The high molecular weight samples showed high modulus and yield stress in the direction perpendicular to the roll direction. The morphology of the internal surface showed a transitional change from fibrillar structure for low molecular weight samples to a smooth surface for high molecular weight samples. Wide angle X-ray diffraction revealed that, for samples with high molecular weight, the crystallographic axes were selectively correlated with the coordinate axes used in defining the samples. Small angle X-ray scattering showed four-point patterns for high molecular weight samples. It is suggested that samples with high molecular weight possess more entanglements among the tie chains connecting the lamella blocks. This results in higher orientation of the three crystallographic axes, a, b, and c, along the thickness, transverse and roll directions of the sample, respectively. Entanglement also reduces the anisotropic behaviour in the roll-transverse plane.