The Effect of Benzoyl Peroxide and Divinyl Benzene on the Properties of Cross-Linked Recycled Polyolefin Blends

Abstract

The effect of peroxide cross-linking on the properties and morphology of recycled polyethylene (PE)/polypropylene (PP) blends was characterized. The addition of benzoyl peroxide (BPO) decreased the melt flow rate (MFR) and increased the impact strength of the recycled polymer blends. Divinyl benzene (DVB) is often used as a cross-linking agent assistant. Compared with BPO modification, the addition of BPO together with DVB improved the cross-linking efficiency and further increased the impact strength of the recycled polymer blends. The effect of BPO content on the MFR and the mechanical properties was also studied with the DVB content fixed. However, chemical cross-linking slightly reduced the thermal stability of the polymer blends. The morphology of the modified and unmodified polymer blends showed that with the addition of BPO, with or without DVB, the compatibility of the PE/PP blends was improved, resulting in enhanced impact strength.