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Effect of compatibilizer on the crystallization, rheological, and tensile properties of LDPE/EVOH blends
Author(s) -
Lee Sang Young,
Kim Sung Chul
Publication year - 1998
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19980523)68:8<1245::aid-app6>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - materials science , low density polyethylene , ultimate tensile strength , crystallization , compatibilization , maleic anhydride , polyethylene , composite material , linear low density polyethylene , rheology , polymer blend , rheometry , dynamic mechanical analysis , copolymer , chemical engineering , polymer , engineering
The effect of the compatibilizer on the crystallization, rheological, and tensile properties of low‐density polyethylene (LDPE)/ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) (70/30) blends was investigated. Maleic anhydride‐grafted linear low‐density polyethylene (LLD‐ g ‐MAH) was used as the compatibilizer in various concentrations (from 1 to 12 phr). The interesting effect of compatibilization on the crystallization kinetics of the blends was noted, and the correlation between the morphology and the rheological and tensile properties was also discussed. Morphological analysis showed that the blends exhibited a regular and finer dispersion of the EVOH phase when LLD‐ g ‐MAH was added. Nonisothermal crystallization exotherms of the compatibilized LDPE/EVOH blends showed the retarded crystallization of the dispersed EVOH phase, which probably resulted from the constraint effect of the grafted EVOH (EVOH‐ g ‐LLD) as well as the size reduction of the EVOH domains. The blends exhibited increased melt viscosity and storage modulus and also enhanced tensile properties with the addition of LLD‐ g ‐MAH, which seemed to be attributable to both dispersed particle‐size reduction and improved interfacial adhesion. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 68: 1245–1256, 1998