Mixing rules for high density polyethylene-polypropylene blends

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) blends of varying composition have been evaluated in an effort to establish a mixing rule for melt flow index (MFI). In addition, a previously established relationship between MFI and $\overline{M_w}$ for linear polymers was also evaluated for these blends. It was found that a parabolic relationship existed between the composition (by weight fraction) and MFI and that the MFI and $\overline{M_w}$ relationship held for this set of polymeric materials. Additionally, all properties and relationships were evaluated over five extrusion cycles, which showed minimal to no deviations over the five cycles.     

Financial incentive of linear low density polyethylene blends

The key to successfully implementing polymer blends in end-use applications includes an understanding of performance requirements and the physical property balance of the blend, as well as the provision of financial incentive to the fabricator, The economic gain is calculated for two cases where blends were introduced to displace another material: a blend which gives higher productivity for blown film applications and a blend which allows for increased flow and a gage reduction for an injection molding application. As the resin cost usually accounts for more than seventy percent of the final product cost, the resin or blend cost affects the economic gain (if any) from the fabricator's point of view. Therefore, successful commercial implementation of a new resin or blend depends on its relative cost and benefit to other commercially available materials.     

Low density polyethylene-polypropylene blends: Part 1 - Ductility and tensile properties

Abstract

The composition-property relationships of LDPE-PP binary blends have been investigated. Young's modulus, yield strength and flexural strength of the blends varied monotonically with composition, whereas the elongation at failure and the true ultimate tensile strength for the blends with 30-50 wt-% PP exhibited synergetic effects. These blends showed strong cold draw hardening, and their elongations at failure and the true ultimate tensile strengths were much higher than those of the neat components. Meanwhile, impact strength showed an abrupt reduction with increasing PP content and the failure mode changed from ductile to brittle in the composition range of 30-50 wt-% PP. Failure mechanisms are discussed, addressing interfacial adhesion between LDPE and PP and the non-uniform shrinkage of the component domains upon cooling.     

Morphology of polyethylene-polypropylene blends

The morphology of blends of high-density polyethylene (PE) and isotactic polypropylene (PP) was studied by mesans of optical and scanning-electron microscopy. In the range of 10 to 90 percent by weight PE, these blends are two-phase systems, the components of which crystallize separately into discrete phases. The presence of PE has a definite and pronounced effect on the crystalline structure of the PP, whose spherulitic structure becomes increasingly irregular and coarse with increasing PE content. The light transmission of these blends during melting and crystallization was also studied in an attempt to characterize them.     

Rheology of polycarbonate/linear low density polyethylene blends

The flow behavior of linear low density polyethylene blended with polycarbonate (LLDPE/PC) was studied at 245°C using an Instron Capillary Rheometer and a Rheometrics Mechanical Spectrometer. The capillary measurements were repeated several times for each crosshead speed and capillary. The averaged values were corrected for shear heating as well as the pressure, entrance-exit, and power-law fluid effects. In spite of the utmost care, blend results were erratic with a standard deviation of 25 to 35 percent. Analysis of the capillary data suggested a telescopic flow with the lower viscosity component of the blend migrating toward the capillary wall. The experimental difficulties resulted from the flow and time induced variations of blend morphology. By contrast, the dynamic shear test results were found to be rapid and reproducible with a standard deviation for the complex viscosity of blends not exceeding four percent. The shear moduli of blends indicated the presence of an apparent (time dependent) yield stress, originating from interaction between domains of the dispersed phase. At frequencies exceeding a critical value, shear coalescence of the dispersed phase was observed near the rim of the rheometer plates.     

Low density polyethylene-polypropylene blends: Part 2 - Strengthening and toughening with copolymer

Abstract

The strengthening and toughening of low density polyethylene (LDPE)-polypropylene (PP) blends with a commercial ethylene/propylene block copolymer (CO) have been investigated. It is shown that the addition of the copolymer improved the ductility of the LDPE-PP blends without any loss of elastic modulus. Particularly for the PP rich LDPE-PP blends, the copolymer can improve the ductility, tensile strength and impact strength simultaneously. It was found that the copolymer has no obvious influence on the crystallisation behaviour of the LDPE and PP phases, whereas the interfacial adhesion was enhanced significantly. The results suggested that the ethylene/propylene block copolymer is a suitable compatibiliser for LDPE-PP blends, which can be used as an effective additive for the recycling of the polyalkene mixtures, especially the PP rich LDPE-PP mixtures.     

Yield strength of low-density polyethylene-polypropylene blends

Polymer waste recycling is becoming a major problem, because huge amounts of synthetic polymers are manufactured every year for many different purposes. Polymer scraps are gathered from the Municipal Solid Waste (MSW). Within those wastes there are several different polyolefins—such as polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene—all incompatible with each other. In order to recycle these polymers, compatibilization of these polyolefins is needed to avoid high sorting costs and unacceptably low market-value products. In this work, the compatibilization of low-density polyethylene with polypropylene is accomplished through the addition of maleated polyethylene and maleated polypropylene. Prediction of the tensile properties of these blends is attempted, using a model based on continuity of phases in a two-components mixture of thermoplastics. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 275–281, 1997     

Crystallization behaviour of isotactic polypropylene/linear low density polyethylene blends

Crystallization behaviour of isotactic polypropylene/linear low density polyethylene (iPP/LLDPE) blends has been investigated by optical microscopy and DSC. Crystallization of iPP depends upon blend composition and thermal history. When blended with LLDPE, the crystallization temperature of iPP, T_c, decreased slightly. Crystallinity did not change in the range 0-80wt% LLDPE; there were only slight changes in the crystalline structure, but LLDPE seemed to resist forming the β type of spherulites. Below 80 wt% of LLDPE, iPP was a continuous phase. The iPP spherulite growth rate was almost constant; however, overall crystallization decreased due to decreasing primary nuclei density.     

Orientation and mechanical properties of polycarbonate- linear low density polyethylene blends

Five blends of polycarbonate (PC) with linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) were studied. Characterization of the blends was made by means of rheological measurements and domain morphology determined by SEM microscopy. A fine dispersion was obtained for the 25/75 PC/LLDPE. The blends were then oriented, LLDPE and 25/75 PC/LLDPE at room temperature, and the others at 165°C. For the hot drawn blends (50/50 and 75/25 PC/LLDPE), a significant increase in tensile strength and elongation at break is observed. For the room temperature drawn samples, modulus and tensile strength values increase whereas elongation at break decreases. This is explained in terms of morphological and molecular orientation effects. Comparison of the experiments to the predictions of different models for the modulus shows a good agreement for unoriented blends. However, for oriented samples, important discrepancies are observed, suggesting that the morphology and orientation are important factors in predicting the modulus of these blends. A model which takes into account these factors is proposed and a good fit of the modulus is obtained.     

Melt strength of blends of linear low density polyethylene and comb polymers

The melt strength of a metallocene linear low-density polyethylene (m-LLDPE) can be enhanced significantly by blending in less than 10 wt% of long chain branched comb polymer. The extent of the enhancement could be ten-fold and depends on the architectural details of the comb polymer. Comb polymers primarily affect melt strength and have little effect on other properties such as shear thinning, melt index, melt index ratio, and intrinsic tear.Balancing melt strength properties against shear-thinning properties is important in LLDPE fabrication processes. One approach would be to augment the effect of comb polymer by blending in another component, namely an easy processing (also known as sparsely long chain branched) LLDPE. In the examples given here, the enhancements in melt strength and shear thinning properties of the base polymer were found to be additive, i.e. a simple weighted sum of component properties matched the blend properties within 10%.     

Micro-morphology of modified and nonmodified blends of polypropylene with linear low density polyethylene

Modified and nonmodified blends of linear low-density polyethylene (PE) and polypropylene (PP) form separated phases of crystalline PP and PE. They form spherulitic crystals in the core, but highly oriented nonspherulitic phases at the skin of injection molded test bars. The dimension of the spherulites decreases with increasing PE content within the blends. Crystallization behavior of both crystalline phases is influenced by the other phase. The crystallization temperature of PP is increased in the presence of the compatibilizer. Transmission electron micrographs of blends modified by poly(styrene-block-ethylene/butylene) (SEBS) and stained by OsO₄ showed co-continuous lamellar structure of the blends with a polypropylene phase containing the majority of the modifier. Smaller portions of the modifier can be found on the surface of the two olefinic phases as dispersed spheres, with an average diameter of 50–90 nm. The lamellar structure is independent of the spherulitic structure, and interpenetrates the spherulites. The conclusion of this study is that this block copolymer, while improving the physical properties of the blends, is not a true compatibilizer of the system according to the conventional terminology of physical chemistry.     

The effect of annealing at 135° on the mechanical properties of injection molded high density polyethylene-polypropylene blends

The effect of annealing at 135°C for 5 hours on the tensile properties of mechanically mixed and then injection molded high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) blends has been investigated. Both the tangent elastic modulus and the tensile strength at yield exhibit a non-linear behavior versus blend composition with a minimum of properties typical for incompatible blends. Annealing substantially improves mechanical properties of pure components and blends (20 percent increase in the yield strength of pure components and blends and the modulus of pure components, and ～40 percent increase in the modulus of 50/50 blends) but the property behavior versus composition is still nonlinear. Scanning electron microscopy studies of fracture surfaces of blends seems to indicate some improvement in bonding between phases as a result of annealing, Both the elastic modulus and yield strength fit extremely well to the modified “rule of mixtures” equation in the general form: M_b = M_PEφ_PE + M_PPφ_PP + ΔM_PE/PPφ_PEφ_PP where M_b is the blend property, M_PE and M_PP are properties of pure PE and PP components, φ_PE and φ_PP are weight fractions of PE and PP, and ΔM_PE/PP is the interaction term being a measure of the deviation from simple additivity.     

Miscibility and processibility in linear low density polyethylene and ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer binary blends

Blends of linear low density polyethylene (ethylene-octene-1 copolymer) and ethylene-propylene-butene-1 terpolymer (ter-PP) mixed in a twin-screw extruder have been characterized by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), rheometric mechanical spectrometry, a capillary rheometer, and a universal test machine. Melting and crystallization behaviors by DSC and the α, β, and γ dynamic mechanical relaxations proposed that the blend is immiscible in the amorphous and crystalline phases by observing the characteristic peaks arised solely from those of the constituents. The lack of interfacial interaction between the components was suggested by the SEM study. A strong negative deviation of melt viscosity from the additive rule and the Cole-Cole plot confirmed the immiscibility in melt state. Incorporation of ter-PP induced a reduction in melt viscosity, shear stress, and final load. Flexural modulus and yield stress were linearly increased with ter-PP content, while the tensile strength and elongation at break were more or less changed. Although this blend system is immiscible in the solid and melt states, addition of less than 20 wt % ter-PP in the blend is viable for engineering applications with the advantages of improved processibility and mechanical properties. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 63: 1265–1274, 1997     

Rheological properties of linear low density polyethylene/polypropylene blends. Part 2: Solid state behavior

This second paper of a series continues the examination of the tensile properties of two series of linear low density polyethylene/polypropylene, (LLDPE/PP) blends. The blends were prepared using a twin-screw extruder and cover the whole concentration range, An Instron Universal Tensile Tester was used to measure the tensile properties of the blends between 10 and 70°C, and the temperature and composition dependences of the modulus were examined. A comparison is established between the solid state and melt properties to underline the behavior in the PP rich region. Results of dynamic mechanical experiments and differential scanning calorimetry on the same materials are also given, and the mechanical behavior is discussed in terms of the variation of the system's crystallinity.     

Flow properties of low density/linear low density polyethylenes

Rheological data have been collected both in shear and non-isothermal elongational flow on three different types of blends, made from one low density polyethylene sample and three linear low density polyethylene samples. In addition to the flow curves, data are presented on the extrudate-swell phenomenon, on the instability arising in capillary flow and on the tensile behavior in the molten state.     

Elongational behavior of low density/linear low density polyethylenes

Rheological data have been collected in isothermal elongational flow for three different types of blends, made from one low density polyethylene and three linear low density samples. In addition to the transient curves, elongation at break data are also reported. The influence of the composition and of the molecular weight of the linear low density polyethylene is discussed.     

A quantitative analysis of low density polyethylene and linear low density polyethylene blends by differential scanning calorimetery and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy methods

Blends of low density polyethylene (LDPE) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) are widely used for blown film applications. An accurate and rapid test scheme to identify the type and composition of α-olefin in LDPE/LLDPE blends has been developed that utilizes differential scanning calorimetery (DSC) and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy techniques. The melting point of LDPE varies with density and usually is in the range of 106°C to 112°C for film grade resins. The DSC thermogram of LLDPE is characterized by a broad range of melting peaks with a lower melting peak around 106°C to 110°C and a higher one in the range of 120°C to 124°C. In a blend with LDPE, the ratio of the two endothermic peak heights changes. At a given weight percent of LDPE, this ratio depends on the type of LLDPE (i.e., the comonomer used). Separate calibrations for butene-1, hexene-1, and octene-1 LLDPEs have been developed to quantify the blend composition from DSC thermograms where the α-olefin type is successfully identified by FTIR over the entire blend composition range. The calibration curves are applicable to narrow melt index (MI) and density range conventional film grade LDPE and LLDPE resins and are not intended to be used for the metallocene type LLDPEs.     

Thermal properties and degradation characteristics of polylactide,linear low density polyethylene,and their blends

Melt blending of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and polylactide (PLLA) was performed in an extrusion mixer with post extrusion blown film attachment with and without compatibilizer-grafted low density polyethylene maleic anhydride. The blend compositions were optimized for tensile properties as per ASTM D 882-91. Based on this, LLDPE 80 (80 wt% LLDPE & 20 wt% PLLA) and M-g-L 80/4 (80 wt% LLDPE, 20 wt% PLLA and 4 parts compatibilizer per hundred parts of resin) were found to be an optimum composition. FTIR reveals that the presence of compatibilizer shifts carbonyl peak hence some increase in interaction between LLDPE and PLLA. Morphological characteristics of the fracture surface of with and without compatibilizer blends were examined by scanning electron microscopy. It shows that use of compatibilizer enhances the dispersions of PLLA in LLDPE matrix. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis of blends shows the M-g-L 80/4 blend has higher thermal stability among studied blends. The degradation study under different pH of soil compost gives that in alkaline condition and the presence of compatibilizer was favorable for degradation. This blend may be used for packaging application.