Miscibility Improvement of LDPE/PVA Blends with Maleic Acid Additions

Abstract

Mixing two types of polymers usually results in an immiscible blend, especially when using polymers with different polarities; therefore, a compatibilization process using suitable compatibilizers to improve miscibility is required. In this work, a low-density polyethylene (LDPE)/poly vinyl alcohol (PVA) blend was improved by adding maleic acid as compatibilizer. A twin-screw extruder was used to prepare blend samples, and the LDPE and PVA were mixed with different weight proportions. To identify the compatibility and miscibility of these blends, several tests were conducted, including Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), mechanical property observation, density testing, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), morphology examination, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The results showed that mechanical properties and density were enhanced by the addition of maleic acid to the blends. SEM and Digital microscope results also showed good interaction between blend components when maleic acid was added to the blends.