Rheological study of the miscibility of LLDPE/LDPE blends and the influence of Tmix

Abstract

AbstractThe miscibility of LLDPE and LDPE blends and the influence of mixing temperature (Tmix) are discussed. Adequate amounts of antioxidants were added during melt blending. Dynamic and steady shear measurments were carried out at 190°C in a Rheometrics Mechanical Spectrometer 800.The dependence of rheological properties on blend composition indicated that blends of LLDEPE (butene) and LDPE mixed at 190°C and 220°C are only partially miscible; immiscibilty is likely to occur around the 50/50 composition and in the LDPE‐rich blends. Blends at 190°C are likely miscible in the LLDPE‐rich range. Tncreaasing Tmix did improve the miscibility of LLDPE/LDPE blends at 190°C or influence the dynamic sher properties (η′ or G′) of the “pure” resins of blends. Suggested that the molecular order [see Hussein and Williams, J. Non‐Newt. Fluid Mech., 86 105 (1999); Hussein and Williams, Macromol. Rapid Commun., 19, 323 (1998)] and mismatch of the molecular conformations of different polyethylene structures provide an explanation for the immiscibility of polyethylenes. Agreement was observed between themeasured dynamic properities and theortical predictions of Palierne and Bousmina‐Karner emulsion models.