The Microcellular Injection Molding of Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Composites

Abstract

This paper reports the study of microcellular injection molding of low-density polyethylene- (LDPE) based composites. The effects of adding nanoclays and polymer additives in LDPE as well as rheological property of materials on the cell morphology, mechanical properties and surface properties of microcellular injection molded LDPE based composites are presented. For the microcellular injection molding process, when 3 wt% of nanoclays are added into LDPE-based polymers, the cell morphology can be significantly improved due to the nucleating effects resulting from the broad interface areas between polymer and nanoclays. Also, the addition of low melt flow LDPE into high melt flow LDPE could achieve smaller and denser bubbles in the polymer matrix than neat high melt flow LDPE.