Influence of the compatibilizer on the properties of composites based on low density polyethylene and polybutylene terephthalate

Abstract

Composite materials based on a polymer mixture -low density polyethylene and polybutylene terephthalate -have been obtained and investigated. To improve the compatibility of two thermodynamically incompatible polymers, a compatibilizer was used, which is polyethylene modified with maleic anhydride. It was found that the compatibilization of the polymer mixture low density polyethylene/polybutylene terephthalate, leads to a significant change in the basic physical and mechanical characteristics of the composite. It is shown that the introduction of compatibilizer leads to an increase in the viscosity of the polymer mixture, which is caused by a change in the density of molecular entanglements. In turn, compatibilized composites are inferior in hardness to noncompatibilized composites. It was found that changes in the morphology of composites upon compatibilization lead to an improvement in the strength of the material. It was shown that the plasticity of the polymer mixture increases upon compatibilization, which makes it possible to improve the dissipative capabilities of the material.