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Development of potentially degradable materials for marine applications. III. Polyethylene‐polyethylene oxide blends
Author(s) -
Gonsalves K. E.,
Patel S. H.,
Trivedi D. H.
Publication year - 1992
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/app.1992.070450202
Subject(s) - polyethylene , materials science , plasticizer , oxide , composite material , polyethylene glycol , stearate , polyethylene naphthalate , catalysis , scanning electron microscope , chemical engineering , polymer , chemistry , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering
The effect of a simulated marine environment on unstabilized polyethylene‐polyethylene oxide blends, having varying polyethylene oxide content (up to 40% by weight), with or without a metal catalyst (e.g., cobalt (III) acetylacetonate) and a metal containing plasticizer (e.g., aluminum stearate), has been studied for 10 weeks exposure time. In the absence of metal catalyst and plasticizer, phase separation of polyethylene oxide was quite evident visually after melt mixing and subsequent regular compression molding of polyethylene‐polyethylene oxide blends. However, these blends rendered better and uniform mixing in the presence of metal catalyst and plasticizer. Since polyethylene oxide is a water soluble component of the system, % weight loss increased significantly with increase in its content after exposure to brine. These blends have been further characterized by tensile properties, optical and scanning electron microscopy, and thermal analysis in order to monitor mechanical as well as morphological changes.