Maleic Anhydride-grafted Polyethylene Research Articles

The Use of Polyethylene-grafted-Maleic Anhydride as a Compatibiliser for Composites from a Mixture of Poly-Aluminum and Fibers

Used beverage carton (UBC), is one type of used paper/cardboard that has potential as a recycled fiber source. UBC is composed of 3 components, namely paper, polyethylene and aluminum foil with a composition of 74-80%, 20-21%, and 5% respectively. UBC recycling initially aimed to recover fiber component which is the largest component that can be reused as paper/paperboard raw material. However, the UBC recycling also obtained by-products in the form of polyethylene (PE) and aluminum that can be used as composite raw materials. In general, a composite is expected to have high strength but light weight. The PE-aluminum composite has high strength but is rather heavy. So that, the experiments of making PE-aluminum composites with the addition of fiber have been done. The usage of PE-g-MA (polyethylene-grafted-maleic anhydride) as a compatibiliser was also studied. Composites from a mixture of PE-aluminum and fiber (ratio 4:1) have been made with the variations of 0-5% PE-g-MA. The temperature of hot press were also varied 140 o C and 165 o C. As a control, composite of 100% PE-aluminum without PE-g-MA was also made. The resulting composites were tested for density (SNI ISO 534:2011), moisture content (SNI ISO 287:2009), water absorption (SNI 01-4449-2006 Item 8.2.5), and dimensional stability. The presence of fiber in the PE-aluminum composite was able to reduce the density, moisture content and water absorption properties of the resulting composite, but the dimensional changes after being immersed in water for 24 hours increased. The addition of PE-g-MA as an additive to a mixture of PE-aluminum and fiber composites, at a hot press temperature of 165 o C, further reduced the water content and water absorption of the composites with a density close to the density of PE. The role of PE-g-MA as an interface component between the fiber phase and the PE-aluminum phase were shown in the 50x magnification of the composite cross-section using SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope) although its distribution in the composite is still uneven. Keywords: PE-g-MA, composite, compatibiliser, polyethylene-aluminum, fiber, UBC DOI: 10.7176/CMR/13-2-04 Publication date: September 30th 2021

Rheological behavior, internal stress and structural changes of ultra-high-filled wood-flour/high-density polyethylene composite in shear flow field

Wood plastic composite (WPC) is a green material with an excellent performance, environmental protection and recyclability, and potential in the field of green construction materials. A rheological study of WPC provides a key theoretical basis for mold design, equipment upgrade, production efficiency and quality improvement. In this study, an innovative approach was proposed to analyze the characters of a wood-flour/high-density polyethylene composite with an ultra-high wood-flour content (70 wt%–90 wt%, UWPC) in a shear flow field, including (1) a redesigned shear rheometer that can seal heat and (2) an analysis of the interactions between components in the UWPC by decomposing and calculating the stress during the rheological process. The stress that was generated by the UWPC melt during shearing originated mainly from wood particles and weak interfacial friction, whereas the stress that was generated by the polymer matrix could be ignored. Therefore, the polymer matrix served only to connect the wood particles and transfer stresses. Maleic-anhydride-grafted polyethylene (MAPE) enhanced the UWPC melt system interface, made the system structure more uniform and increased its fluidity. The enhancement effect of MAPE on the weak interface of UWPC melt was calculated quantitatively by calculating and analyzing the weak interfacial friction stress. The MAPE strengthening rate for the weak interface was 72.3%, 81.1% and 91.9% at 130 °C, 150 °C and 170 °C, respectively. These findings can be applied to improve WPC processing and equipment manufacture.

The effect of polyethylene‐graft‐maleic anhydride on ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene/carboxymethyl cellulose blends

AbstractIn this study, it is aimed to produce biocompatible polymer blends by using ultrahigh molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) as a matrix and a cellulose‐based polymer, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) as filler at different concentrations. Polyethylene‐graft‐maleic anhydride (PE‐g‐MA) was used as compatibilizer in order to ensure effective distribution of hydrophilic cellulose particles in hydrophobic UHMWPE matrix and its effect on blends was investigated. The UHMWPE/CMC blends were fabricated by sintering of two powder materials and effects of different sintering conditions such as sintering temperature and time were examined on the morphological and surface properties of blends. The hardness, air permeability, contact angle variations on the blend surfaces were investigated. 150°C–30 min sintering condition was determined as optimum sintering time and temperature to prepare the blends having adequate hardness with high‐air permeability properties. It was found that with the increase of CMC content in the blends the hardness, air permeability and contact angle values were decreased. The addition of PE‐g‐MA caused an increment for blends prepared at 150°C–30 min conditions having high‐air permeability.

From Waste to Reuse: Manufacture of Ecological Composites Based on Biopolyethylene/wood Powder with PE-g-MA and Macaíba Oil

This work aimed to investigate the biopolyethylene (BioPE)/wood powder (WP) composites compatibilized with polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA), using macaíba oil (OM) as a processing aid. The composites were prepared, fist, in an internal mixer and, later, the crushed flakes were molded by injection. Mechanical properties (impact, tensile, flexural and Shore D hardness), heat deflection temperature (HDT), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TG), water absorption, torque rheometry and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were evaluated. The addition of 30% wood powder to the BioPE matrix increased the elastic modulus (tensile and flexural), Shore D hardness and heat deflection temperature (HDT), compared to neat BioPE. These properties were improved when 10% of the PE-g-MA compatibilizer was added, compared to neat BioPE and the non-compatibilized composite. There was a significant reduction in the torque of the composites with the addition of macaíba oil, indicating that it improved the processability. In addition, the incorporation of macaíba oil into the composites helped to reduce water absorption, as well as to increase impact strength. SEM micrographs illustrated a greater degree of interfacial adhesion when PE-g-MA and macaiba oil were added.

Enhancing the mechanical, morphological, and rheological behavior of polyethylene/polypropylene blends with maleic anhydride‐grafted polyethylene

AbstractThis is the first study to showcase the use of maleic anhydride‐grafted polyethylene (MAPE) to compatibilize polyethylene (PE)‐rich blends, where polypropylene (PP) represents the minor phase. By first mixing PP with MAPE, and then adding PE, MAPE was assumed to be localized at the PE/PP interface. Microscopy analysis confirmed that MAPE led to a remarkably fine PE/PP/MAPE morphology, with PP being uniformly dispersed into PE and having an average diameter 267% smaller than that in the PE/PP blend. According to mechanical and rheological tests, this translated into a 14%, 20%, and 14% enhancement of tensile strength, tensile modulus, and tensile toughness, respectively, as well as a 10% and 20% drop in PE/PP viscosity mismatch and interfacial tension, respectively. Finally, PE/PP/MAPE tensile toughness and elongation at break were greater than those of virgin PP, while PE/PP/MAPE strength and stiffness were similar to the ones of neat PP. Therefore, this study provides industries with the possibility to utilize products rich in PE instead of those made of more expensive PP, while still keeping the level of performance high; hence, creating a paradigm shift in the development of advanced lightweight polyolefin materials with tuned functionalities.

Polyethylene/Polyamide Blends Made of Waste with Compatibilizer: Processing, Morphology, Rheological and Thermo-Mechanical Behavior.

The aim of this study was to develop a polyethylene/polyamide (R-PE/R-PA) regranulated product made from post-consumer wastes grafted with polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MAH) by reactive extrusion in a twin-screw extruder equipped with an external mixing zone. The compatibility effect of PE-g-MAH used as a modifier in R-PE/R-PA blends was evaluated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), while the analysis of the chemical structure of this blend was carried out by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). The thermal properties, complex viscosity, and selected usage properties of R-PE/R-PA blends compatibilized with PE-g-MAH, i.e., density and water absorption, were evaluated. The morphology of the blends with and without the compatibilizer was observed by scanning electron microscopy. The R-PE/R-PA/MAH blend shows heterogenic structure, which is a result of the chemical reaction in reactive extrusion between functional groups of PE-g-MAH used as modifier and the end groups of R-PA6. The results show that the R-PE/R-PA blend with increased PE-g-MAH content showed increased hardness, stiffness, and ultimate tensile strength due to the increased degree of crystallinity. The increase in crystallinity is proportional to the improvement of the mechanical properties. Moreover, it is shown that 1 wt.% PE-g-MAH added to the R-PE/R-PA waste blend increases the interfacial interactions and compatibility between R-PE and R-PA, resulting in decreased polyamide particle size. Finally, the results show that it is possible to produce good quality regranulated products with advantageous properties and structure from immiscible polymer waste for industrial applications.

Mechanical and Processing Enhancement of a Recycled HDPE/PPR-Based Double-Wall Corrugated Pipe via a POE-g-MAH/CaCO3/HDPE Polymer Composite.

With the people’s awareness of the “3Rs” in recent years, using recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and random copolymer polypropylene (PPR) as the base materials for piping fabrication has become a mainstream in scholastic path and industrial engineering. In this study, the modified maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene (POE-g-MAH) compatibilizer was fabricated to increase the interfacial adhesion and dispersion. With the surface modification of calcium carbonate, a POE-g-MAH/CaCO3/HDPE polymer composite has been prepared. Such modified polymer composites can further reinforce the processing performance and mechanical properties of recycled HDPE and PPR materials. The results indicated that with the introduction of the polymer composite, significant enhancement of the recycled materials in the aspects of processability, tensile strength, flexural performance, and impact force could be obtained, and the POE-g-MAH/CaCO3/HDPE polymer composite would contribute to the impressive balance between high rigidity and toughness. In addition, the feasibility and mechanical properties of the recycled HDPE-PPR-POE-g-MAH/CaCO3/HDPE blended system were also studied: with the help of a composite microcapsule, the gap of mechanical capacity between recycled and non-recycled materials was further reduced, and such a blended system was capable of being commercialized in the piping industry.

Manufacturing and compatibilization of binary blends of polyethylene and poly(bulylene succinate) by injection molding

<p class="JARTEAbstract">In this study was analyzed the effect of three different compatibilizers polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA), unmodified halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), and HNTs treated by silanization with (3-glycidyloxypropyl) trimethoxysilane (GLYMO) (silanized HNTs) in blends of bio-based high-density polyethylene (bioPE) and poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) with a weight ratio of (70/30). Each compatibilizer was added in a proportion of (3 phr regarding PBS). Standard samples were obtained by extrusion and subsequent injection molding. The analyzes of the samples were performed by mechanical tests, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and wettability (θ<sub>w</sub>). Results suggest that the addition of modified HNTs (silanized HNTs) allowed to obtain better properties than samples compatibilized with unmodified HNTs and PE-g-MA, due to it contributes with the improvement in mechanical properties regarding bioPE/PBS blend, for instance, the tensile modulus and elongation at break increase about 8% and 13%, respectively. In addition, it was determined through FESEM images and that silanized HNTs particles were better dispersed over the matrix, which in fact contribute to the enhance in mechanical properties. TGA showed that silanized HNTs delay the degradation temperature regarding the uncompatibilized blend. While DMTA indicated the reduction in the mobility of the chains in samples with unmodified and modified HNTs. Therefore, it was successfully obtained compatibilized bioPE/PBS blends, which constitutes an interesting option to develop new sustainable polymers.</p>

An Environmentally Friendly Recycled-Polyethylene Composite Reinforced by Diatomaceous Earth and Wood Fiber

This study aims to develop a new wood-plastic composite (WPC) material from recycled thermoplasctics. The recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) and high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) were used as matrix, whereas the diatomaceous earth waste (D) and wood fiber (WF) as filler. Recycled-LDPE and rHDPE were recovered and pelletized by a plastic recycling process. The 10-30wt.% diatomaceous earth waste was heat-treated at 200°C to remove impurities. The diatomaceous earth, maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE), CaCO3, slip agent, antioxidants and WF were then mixed at 160°C, for 10 minutes, at stirring speed 50 rpm to produce wood-plastic composite material. The mechanical strength and thermal properties of the composites were investigated. The composite containing D and rLDPE results in an increase the hardness of the material which is higher than that of the virgin-LDPE. The tensile and impact strengths of the composite material prepared by rLDPE and D were higher than those of the rHDPE composite material. It is found that LDPE has excellent fluidity, which is helpful for subsequent processing. In addition, the diatomaceous earth waste can be used to reduce the cost of the raw material, and the product has both effects of environmental protection and marketability.

Development and Characterization of Environmentally Friendly Wood Plastic Composites from Biobased Polyethylene and Short Natural Fibers Processed by Injection Moulding.

Environmentally friendly wood plastic composites (WPC) with biobased high density polyethylene (BioHDPE) as the polymer matrix and hemp, flax and jute short fibers as natural reinforcements, were melt-compounded using twin-screw extrusion and shaped into pieces by injection molding. Polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) was added at two parts per hundred resin to the WPC during the extrusion process in order to reduce the lack in compatibility between the lignocellulosic fibers and the non-polar polymer matrix. The results revealed a remarkable improvement of the mechanical properties with the combination of natural fibers, along with PE-g-MA, highly improved stiffness and mechanical properties of neat BioHDPE. Particularly, hemp fiber drastically increased the Young’s modulus and impact strength of BioHDPE. Thermal analysis revealed a slight improvement in thermal stability with the addition of the three lignocellulosic fibers, increasing both melting and degradation temperatures. The incorporation of the fibers also increased water absorption due to their lignocellulosic nature, which drastically improved the polarity of the composite. Finally, fire behavior properties were also improved in terms of flame duration, thanks to the ability of the fibers to form char protective barriers that isolate the material from oxygen and volatiles.

The effect of Ag, ZnO, and CuO nanoparticles on the properties of the compatibilized polyethylene/thermoplastic starch blend films

AbstractIn this study, the effects of Ag, ZnO, and CuO nanoparticles (NPs) on the mechanical, thermal, and biodegradability properties of the compatibilized polyethylene (PE)/thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends were investigated. Polyethylene‐grafted maleic anhydride (PE‐g‐MA) was used as the compatibilizer. The compatibilized PE/TPS blends with different NPs were prepared by melt mixing method in a laboratory scale extruder and then pressurized in the press machine. The use of ZnO NP together with the compatibilizer in PE/TPS‐based films significantly increased the tensile stress values. The use of different type NPs did not cause any significant change in the thermal stability of PE/TPS‐based films. However, the effects of NPs were observed on the TPS degradation steps. The prepared films with different NPs showed an antibacterial activity between 60% and 70%. The highest crystallinity value was obtained in Ag NP containing films, among others. According to scanning electron microscopy analysis, better distribution was observed for ZnO and Ag NPs than CuO NP. In general, it can be said that the addition of NPs to PE/TPS‐based blends significantly reduces the partial biodegradability of the resulting films.

Innovative high-density polyethylene/waste glass powder composite with remarkable mechanical, thermal and recyclable properties for technical applications

Several reinforcement materials are incorporated into a polymeric matrix to improve the mechanical properties and reduce the cost of the obtained composites. In this work, recycled high-density polyethylene/waste glass powder composites, compatibilized with maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene, were prepared using a two-roll mill and compression molding techniques. Four levels of waste glass powder, 2, 10, 20 and 30% by weight, and five levels of the compatibilizer, polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (0.5, 1.5, 2.5, 5 and 7.5%by weight), were used. The effect of adding waste glass powder and compatibilizer concentration on the composite's mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, tensile strain, tensile modulus and thermal properties was studied. The results showed that superior mechanical properties were obtained and that the tensile strength and modulus increased with increasing waste glass powder content and compatibilizer concentration by 20 and 1.5 wt%, respectively. However, the elongation at the break decreased with the increase in both factors. The composite, which was prepared under ideal conditions, has high thermal stability and can be easily recycled and reprocessed for five cycles with high mechanical properties. This study recommends that the prepared composite, under optimum conditions, can be used as a cost-effective automobile dashboard material.

The Effects of Different Chemical Treatment Methods and Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polyethylene on the Mechanical and Thermal Properties of <i>Alpinia galanga</i> Fiber Reinforced Polyethylene Composites

In this study, the effect of different treatments and the addition of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) on the mechanical and thermal properties of Alpinia galanga (AG) fiber/high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were investigated. The AG fibers were pretreated with sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and then treated with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APE) as well as treated with p-toluenesulfonic acid (PTSA). The samples were first prepared by melt blending method before being injected to specimen dumbbell shape using an injection moulding machine. Three different fiber loadings were studied, such as 3, 6, 10 and 15 wt%. The tensile test results revealed that the NaOH and 3-APE treatments increased the tensile strength of AG/HDPE composites with the addition of MAPE at all fiber loadings, whereas tensile strength of PTSA treatment improved at 3 wt% fiber loading. The morphological studies confirmed a better adhesion between treated fiber and HDPE matrix with the inclusion of MAPE. Thermal analysis study showed that NaOH, 3-APE and PTSA treatments on AG fibers improved the thermal stability of the composites with an addition of MAPE by delaying the thermal degradation of the composites. The water absorption test proved NaOH and 3-APE treated fiber exhibited lower water absorption than other composites with the inclusion of MAPE. Overall, the results indicated that chemical treatment with NaOH and 3-APE with the presence of MAPE is a good approach towards the development of natural fiber composites.

A study on the physical, mechanical, thermal properties and soil biodegradation of HDPE blended with PBS/HDPE-g-MA

In this study, blends of high-density polyethylene/poly(butylene succinate)/high-density polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (HDPE/PBS /HDPE-g-MA) blends were prepared by using the injection molding technique. The aftereffect of mixing HDPE-g-MA (as a blend, not as a compatibilizer) and PBS by the different ratios (1, 2, 4 wt%) was investigated by various characterization techniques to give a comprehensive perception of the as-prepared system. The structure was characterized through the FTIR spectra to confirm the existence of PBS and HDPE-g-MA separately in the matrix for each blend that ensures the physical interaction between the components. The mechanical property analysis established that the different ratios of PBS and HDPE-g-MA to the HDPE matrix resembled those of the neat HDPE; however, the elongation at break, the impact strength and hardness of the mixtures were increased by increasing PBS and HDPE-g-MA, respectively. The thermal analysis exposed that the inclusion of PBS caused a decrease in the crystallinity percentage and prompted a decrease in the Melt Flow Index (MFI). The oxidative induction time (OIT) of the neat HDPE had a fluctuating behavior by adding HDPE-g-MA and PBS. The water absorption percentage of the blends was insignificantly increased compared to neat HDPE. The enhanced biodegradation of the blends compared to HDPE could be elucidated by the initiation of microbial deterioration of PBS, inside the HDPE matrix, by the activity of microorganisms that presented in the soil. The mixing of PBS and HDPE-g-MA with HDPE (Fig. a) in different ratios increased the biodegradation of the blends as in Fig. b, c and d. (The pores resulted from degradation are marked in each picture)

Study of the Properties of Polyethylene/Thermoplastic Starch Blends: Determination of the Critical Compatibilizer Concentration

The use of immiscible polymers blends is highly prevalent worldwide in view of their unique properties. Nevertheless, the main technical obstacle in the way of developing novel polymers blends remains the effective compatibilization between their components. In this work, reactive compatibilization blends consisting of thermoplastic corn starch/low density polyethylene (TPCS)/LDPE and thermoplastic corn starch/linear low density polyethylene (TPCS)/LLDPE with different portions of polyethylene-grafted-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as compatibilizer were prepared. The novelty of this study is that commercial PE and starches from the local market were used to determine the critical concentration of PE-g-MA needed to attain the best blend properties. FTIR study proved that in the blends containing 7% of compatibilizer, all the available maleic anhydride groups in the PE-g-MA had reacted with the hydroxyl groups of the starch forming new ester bonds. The MFI measurements showed that when the compatibilizer was added, the melt flow index of the blend decreases down to 7% of PE-g-MA and when more compatibilizer was added no more change in MFI was noticed because of the cessation of ester bonds forming. The thermal stability improved with the increase of (PE-g-MA) concentration till 7% then it decreased again at 9%. The elongation at break and the tensile strength reached the highest value with 7 wt % of PE-g-MA.

Hybrid Layered Silicate/Calcium Carbonate Reinforced High-density Polyethylene Nanocomposites: Systematic Morphological Evaluation through Rheological Properties and Response Surface Method

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) based hybrid nanocomposites comprising varying concentrations of layered nanoclay (NC) and spherical nano calcium carbonate (nCaCO3) were prepared by a two-step melt compounding process in the presence of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as the compatibilizer. Regarding multiple material variables (the NC, nCaCO3 and compatibilizer contents) participated in fabrication of the nanocomposites, response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to find the correlation between the material variables, morphology and viscoelastic responses in the melt state. Intercalation of the layered silicates was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) technique, and morphological characterization of the nanosized calcium carbonates was carried out by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The findings indicated that higher contents of the PE-g-MA facilitated the intercalation process and increased the interlayer distance. Interestingly, incorporation of the second nanoparticle, nano calcium carbonate, resulted in viscosity increment which is an influential factor on applied stresses during the melt mixing and subsequently, dispersion state of the nanoclay layers. The interplay between the designated material parameters was also discussed by means of interaction plots.

Treatment of hemp fibres for use in rotational moulding

The benefit of using alkali-treated hemp fibre as the reinforcement for rotationally moulded polyethylene composites was evaluated in this research. Untreated and alkali-treated hemp fibre were characterised using different techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), thermal analysis, and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). These techniques showed that the alkali treatment removed non-cellulosic components from hemp fibres, which improved their separation and thermal resistance. Composites with alkali-treated fibre resisted the exposure to elevated temperatures for prolonged periods (characteristic of the rotational moulding process) with no apparent signs of thermal degradation, unlike when untreated fibre was used. The effect of using maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) as a coupling agent was also investigated. The addition of 3 wt% MAPE improved the properties tensile strength and Young's modulus of composites with treated hemp fibre, which was attributed to better fibre-matrix adhesion. Different fibre contents were assessed in this research to produce rotationally moulded composites; a poor fibre distribution was observed above 5 wt% fibre content, which resulted in low tensile strength and Young's modulus.

Alien Wood Species as a Resource for Wood-Plastic Composites

Since invasive alien species are one of the main causes of biodiversity loss in the region and thus of changes in ecosystem services, it is important to find the best possible solution for their removal from nature and the best practice for their usability. The aim of the study was to investigate their properties as components of wood-plastic composites and to investigate the properties of the wood-plastic composites produced. The overall objective was to test the potential of available alien plant species as raw material for the manufacture of products. This would contribute to sustainability and give them a better chance of ending their life cycle. One of the possible solutions on a large scale is to use alien wood species for the production of wood plastic composites (WPC). Five invasive alien hardwood species have been used in combination with polyethylene powder (PE) and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) to produce various flat pressed WPC boards. Microstructural analyses (confocal laser scanning microscopy and scanning electron microscopy) and mechanical tests (flexural strength, tensile strength) were performed. Furthermore, measurements of density, thickness swelling, water absorption and dimensional stability during heating and cooling were carried out. Comparisons were made between the properties of six WPC boards (five alien wood species and mixed boards). The results showed that the differences between different invasive alien wood species were less obvious in mechanical properties, while the differences in sorption properties and dimensional stability were more significant. The analyses of the WPC structure showed a good penetration of the polymer into the lumens of the wood cells and a fine internal structure without voids. These are crucial conditions to obtain a good, mechanically strong and water-resistant material.

Low density polyethylene/poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) films: Effect of a compatibilizer on morphology and properties

Low density polyethylene (LDPE)/poly(butylene)adipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) blend films were fabricated using a cast film extruder with different content of PBAT (0,10, 20 and 30 wt%). Polyethylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) was used as a compatibilizer for the LDPE/PBAT blends. Morphology, mechanical properties, thermal properties, water vapour and oxygen permeability properties of the LDPE/PBAT films with and without adding the compatibilizer were investigated. Scanning electron microscopic (SEM) results revealed that the LDPE/PBAT/PE-g-MA films showed better compatibility and homogeneity between LDPE matrix and PBAT phase. Young’s modulus and tensile strength of the LDPE/PBAT/PE-g-MA films were higher than those of the LDPE/PBAT films. The PBAT content and incorporating PE-g-MA did not affect on melting temperature (Tm) of the LDPE/PBAT blends. On the other hand, melting enthalpies (ΔHm) of the polymer blends decrease as increase in PBAT concentration and at same content of the PBAT, the melting enthalpies (ΔHm) of the LDPE/PBAT/PE-g-MA films were higher than those of LDPE/PBAT films. Water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of the blend films increased but oxygen permeability (OP) decreased when the PBAT content increased. Compared with uncompatibilized LDPE/PBAT films at the same PBAT loading, the compatibilized LDPE/PBAT films provided a lower water vapor barrier whereas the LDPE/PBAT/PE-g-MA films showed a better oxygen barrier.

Mechanical and Wettability Performance of Sand/HDPE Composite Sheets

Polymer/composite sheets were developed using sand as the filler, and high-density polyethylene (HDPE), by melting extrusion in a melt blender followed by compression molding. The effects of addition of filler, and the addition of polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as the compatibilizing agent were investigated by observing the morphology, the mechanical performance as well as the wettability characteristic via contact angle measurements. A decreasing trend was observed with filler addition, both for the Young’s modulus and yield stress values of each of the samples, from 1200.81 MPa and 35.15 MPa at 0 wt% to 1182.33 MPa and 23.11 MPa for the non-compatibilized sheet at 35 wt%, to 629.95 MPa and 9.56 MPa in the case of the compatibilized sheet respectively. However, addition of filler did not significantly affect the surface wetting in any case, thereby promoting good anti-wetting performance for both sets of sheets. As a result, the potential use of such synthetic composite sheets could be considered as a good alternative for applications which require reduced ductility or increased anti-wetting performance.