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Influence of octyl substituted octakis(dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane on the morphology and thermal and mechanical properties of low density polyethylene
Author(s) -
Panaitescu Denis Mihaela,
Frone Adriaicoleta,
Radovici Constantin,
Nicolae Cristian,
Perrin François Xavier
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
polymer international
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.592
H-Index - 105
eISSN - 1097-0126
pISSN - 0959-8103
DOI - 10.1002/pi.4488
Subject(s) - low density polyethylene , materials science , polyethylene , ultimate tensile strength , composite material , differential scanning calorimetry , scanning electron microscope , silsesquioxane , composite number , polymer , physics , thermodynamics
Low density polyethylene ( LDPE ) was melt blended with octyl substituted octakis(dimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane ( AS8 ) prepared in high yield by hydrosilylation of octene with octakis(hydrodimethylsiloxy)octasilsesquioxane. Two procedures were used to incorporate AS8 into LDPE at nanolevel and their efficiency was investigated by X‐ray diffraction ( XRD ), scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy ( AFM ), differential scanning calorimetry, thermogravimetry and mechanical characterization. A slight increase of crystallite mean dimensions was observed by XRD in both types of LDPE‐AS8 composites compared with neat LDPE . Better AS8 dispersion was observed by AFM in the composite prepared by the first procedure and the increase of both tensile strength and elongation at break in this composite confirmed the nanolevel dispersion and interface improvement in this case. AS8 influence in the final stages of polyethylene fracture was illustrated by AFM of elongated tensile specimens and a new mechanism of AS8 action was suggested. An interesting behavior consisting of simultaneous improvement of elastic modulus, strength and ductility was detected in the low range of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane concentration in LDPE (0.5 wt%). © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry