Properties of uncompatibilized and compatibilized poly(butylene terephthalate)–LLDPE blends

In this work, blends of poly(butylene terephthalate) (PBT) and linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) were prepared. LLDPE was used as an impact modifier. Since the system was found to be incompatible, compatibilization was sought for by the addition of the following two types of functionalized polyethylene: ethylene vinylacetate copolymer (EVA) and maleic anhydride‐grafted EVA copolymer (EVA‐g‐MAH). The effects of the compatibilizers on the rheological and mechanical properties of the blends have been also quantitatively investigated. The impact strength of the PBT–LLDPE binary blends slightly increased at a lower concentration of LLDPE but increased remarkably above a concentration of 60 wt % of LLDPE. The morphology of the blends showed that the LLDPE particles had dispersed in the PBT matrix below 40 wt % of LLDPE, while, at 60 wt % of LLDPE, a co‐continuous morphology was obtained, which could explain the increase of the impact strength of the blend. Generally, the mechanical strength was decreased by adding LLDPE to PBT. Addition of EVA or EVA‐g‐MAH as a compatibilizer to PBT–LLDPE (70/30) blend considerably improved the impact strength of the blend without significantly sacrificing the tensile and the flexural strength. More improvement in those mechanical properties was observed in the case of the EVA‐g‐MAH system than for the EVA system. A larger viscosity increase was also observed in the case of the EVA‐g‐MAH than EVA. This may be due to interaction of the EVA‐g‐MAH with PBT. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 989–997, 1999     

Dynamic mechanical behavior of high‐density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer blends: The effects of the blend ratio,reactive compatibilization,and dynamic vulcanization

The effects of the blend ratio, reactive compatibilization, and dynamic vulcanization on the dynamic mechanical properties of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) blends have been analyzed at different temperatures. The storage modulus of the blend decreases with an increase in the EVA content. The loss factor curve shows two peaks, corresponding to the transitions of HDPE and EVA, indicating the incompatibility of the blend system. Attempts have been made to correlate the observed viscoelastic properties of the blends with the blend morphology. Various composite models have been used to predict the dynamic mechanical data. The experimental values are close to those of the Halpin–Tsai model above 50 wt % EVA and close to those of the Coran model up to 50 wt % EVA in the blend. For the Takayanagi model, the theoretical value is in good agreement with the experimental value for a 70/30 HDPE/EVA blend. The area under the loss modulus/temperature curve (LA) has been analyzed with the integration method from the experimental curve and has been compared with that obtained from group contribution analysis. The LA values calculated with group contribution analysis are lower than those calculated with the integration method. The addition of a maleic‐modified polyethylene compatibilizer increases the storage modulus, loss modulus, and loss factor values of the system, and this is due to the finer dispersion of the EVA domains in the HDPE matrix upon compatibilization. For 70/30 and 50/50 blends, the addition of a maleic‐modified polyethylene compatibilizer shifts the relaxation temperature of both HDPE and EVA to a lower temperature, and this indicates increased interdiffusion of the two phases at the interface upon compatibilization. However, for a 30/70 HDPE/EVA blend, the addition of a compatibilizer does not change the relaxation temperature, and this may be due to the cocontinuous morphology of the blends. The dynamic vulcanization of the EVA phase with dicumyl peroxide results in an increase in both the storage and loss moduli of the blends. A significant increase in the relaxation temperature of EVA and a broadening of the relaxation peaks occur during dynamic vulcanization, and this indicates the increased interaction between the two phases. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 2083–2099, 2003     

Experimental and computational investigation of EVOH/clay nanocomposites

Ethylene–vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH)/organoclay nanocomposites were prepared via a dynamic melt‐intercalation process. The effect of compatibilizers on the melt blending torque, intercalation level, and morphology of EVOH/organoclay systems was investigated. Maleic anhydride grafted ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA‐g‐ MA), or maleic anhydride grafted linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE‐g‐MA), were used to compatibilize EVOH with clay, at various concentrations (1, 5, and 10 wt %). Computer‐simulation techniques are used to predict structural properties and interactions of EVOH with compatibilizers in the presence and absence of clay. The simulation results strongly support the experimental findings and their interpretation. X‐ray diffraction shows enhanced intercalation within the galleries when the compatibilizers were added. Interestingly, results were obtained for the EVOH/clay/compatibilizer systems, owing to a high level of interaction developed in these systems. Thermal analysis shows that, upon increasing the compatibilizer content, lower crystallinity levels result, until at a certain compatibilizer content no crystallization is taking place. Significantly higher mixing viscosity levels were obtained for the EVOH/organoclay blends compared with the neat EVOH polymer. The storage modulus was higher compared with the uncompatibilized EVOH/organoclay blend in the presence of EVA‐g‐MA compatibilizer (at all concentrations), and only at low contents of LLDPE‐g‐MA. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 97: 2060–2066, 2005     

Toughened polyoxymethylene by polyolefin elastomer and glycidyl methacrylate grafted high‐density polyethylene

Ternary blends of polyoxymethylene (POM), polyolefin elastomer (POE), and glycidyl methacrylate grafted high density polyethylene (GMA‐g‐HDPE) with various component ratios were studied for their mechanical and thermal properties. The size of POE dispersed phase increased with increasing the elastomer content due to the observed agglomeration. The notched impact strength demonstrated a parabolic tendency with increasing the elastomer content and reached the peak value of 10.81 kJ/m² when the elastomer addition was 7.5 wt%. The disappearance of epoxy functional groups in the POM/POE/GMA‐g‐HDPE blends indicated that GMA‐g‐HDPE reacted with the terminal hydroxyl groups of POM and formed a new graft copolymer. Higher thermal stability was observed in the modified POM. Both storage modulus and loss modulus decreased from dynamic mechanical analysis tests while the loss factor increased with increasing the elastomer content. GMA‐g‐HDPE showed good compatibility between the POM matrix and the POE dispersed phase due to the reactive compatibilization of the epoxy groups of GMA and the terminal hydroxyl groups of POM. A POM/POE blend without compatibilizer was researched for comparison, it was found that the properties of P‐7.5(POM/POE 92.5 wt%/7.5 wt%) were worse than those of the blend with the GMA‐g‐HDPE compatibilizer. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 57:1119–1126, 2017. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers     

Melt rheology and morphology of LLDPE/EVA blends: Effect of blend ratio,compatibilization, and dynamic crosslinking

The melt rheological properties of linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) blends were investigated with special reference to the effect of blend ratio, temperature, shear rate, compatibilization, and dynamic vulcanization. The melt viscosity of the blends determined with a capillary rheometer is found to decrease with an increase of shear rate, which is an indication of pseudoplastic behavior. The viscosity of the blend was found to be a nonadditive function of the viscosities of the component polymers. A negative deviation was observed because of the interlayer slip between the polar EVA and the nonpolar LLDPE phases. The melt viscosity of these blends decreases with the increased concentration of EVA. The morphology of the extrudate of the blends at different shear rates and blend ratios was studied and the size and distribution of the domains were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The morphology was found to depend on shear rate and blend ratio. Compatibilization of the blends with phenolic‐ and maleic‐modified LLDPE increased the melt viscosity at lower wt % of compatibilizer and then leveled off. Dynamic vulcanization is found to increase the melt viscosity at a lower concentration of DCP. The effect of temperature on melt viscosity of the blends was also studied. Finally, attempts were made to correlate the experimental data on melt viscosity and cocontinuity region with different theoretical models. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3210–3225, 2002     

Melt rheology and morphology of uncompatibilized and in situ compatibilized nylon‐6/ethylene propylene rubber blends

Melt rheology and morphology of nylon‐6/ethylene propylene rubber (EPR) blends were studied as a function of composition, temperature, and compatibilizer loading. Uncompatibilized blends with higher nylon‐6 content (N90 and N95) and rubber content (N5 and N10) had viscosities approximately intermediate between those of the component polymers. A very clear negative deviation was observed in the viscosity–composition curve over the entire shear rate range studied for blends having composition N30, N50, and N70. This was associated with the interlayer slip resulting from the high‐level incompatibility between the component polymers. The lack of compatibility was confirmed by fracture surface morphology, given that the dispersed domains showed no sign of adhesion to the matrix. The phase morphology studies indicated that EPR was dispersed as spherical inclusions in the nylon matrix up to 30 wt % of its concentration. A cocontinuous morphology was observed between 30 and 50 wt % nylon and a phase inversion beyond 70 wt % nylon. Various models based on viscosity ratios were used to predict the region of phase inversion. Experiments were also carried out on in situ compatibilization using maleic anhydride–modified EPR (EPR‐g‐MA). In this reactive compatibilization strategy, the maleic anhydride groups of modified EPR reacted with the amino end groups of nylon. This reaction produced a graft copolymer at the blend interface, which in fact acted as the compatibilizer. The viscosity of the blend was found to increase when a few percent of modified EPR was added; at higher concentrations the viscosity leveled off, indicating a high level of interaction at the interface. Morphological investigations indicated that the size of the dispersed phase initially decreased when a few percent of the graft copolymer was added followed by a clear leveling off at higher concentration. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 92: 252–264, 2004     

Properties of Bloodmeal/Linear Low‐density Polyethylene Blends Compatibilized with Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polyethylene

Novatein thermoplastics from bloodmeal (NTP) were blended with linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE) using maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE‐g‐MAH) as compatibilizer. The compatibilizing effect on mechanical, morphology, thermal properties, and water absorption were studied and compared with blends without compatibilizer. The amount of polyethylene added was varied between 20 and 70% in NTP with addition of 10% compatibilizer. An improvement in compatibility between NTP and LLDPE was observed across the entire composition range and the difference were more pronounced at higher NTP contents where the tensile strength of blends was maintained and never dropped below that of pure NTP. Theoretical models were compared to the results to describe mechanical properties. A finely dispersed small particles of NTP in compatibilized blends were observed using SEM. Improved compatibility has restricted chain movement resulting in slightly elevated T_g revealed by DMA. On the other hand, water absorption of the hydrophilic NTP has been decreased when blending with hydrophobic LLDPE. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 1890–1897, 2013     

Study on the morphology and properties of metallocene polyethylene and ethylene/vinyl acetate blends

Two commercial polymer materials, metallocene linear low density polyethylene (m‐LLDPE) and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA) have been used to form binary blends of various compositions. The mechanical properties, morphology, rheological behavior, dynamic mechanical properties, and crystallization of m‐LLDPE/EVA blends were investigated. It was found that with the addition of EVA, the fluidity and processability of m‐LLDPE were significantly improved, and the introduction of polar groups in this system showed no significant changes in mechanical properties at lower EVA content. As verified by morphology observation and differential scanning calorimetry analysis, miscible blends were formed within certain weight ratios. Dynamic mechanical property studies showed that flexibility of the blends was enhanced in comparion with pure m‐LLDPE, where the peak value of loss modulus shifted to lower temperature and its intensity was enhanced as EVA content increased, indicating the existence of more amorphous regions in the blends. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 91: 905–910, 2004     

The effect of interface characteristics on the static and dynamic mechanical properties of three‐component polymer alloys

The effect of interfacial characteristics on the structure‐property relationships of ternary polymer alloys and blends comprising polypropylene (PP), ethylene‐vinyl alcohol copolymer (EVOH) and glass beads (GB) or fibers (GF) was investigated. The systems studied were based on a binary PP/EVOH immiscible blend, representing a blend of a semi‐crystalline apolar polymer with a semi‐crystalline highly polar copolymer. The ternary systems studied consisted of filler particles encapsulated by EVOH, with some of the minor EVOH component separately dispersed within the PP matrix. Modification of the interfacial properties was done using silane coupling agents for the EVOH/glass interface and compatibilization using a maleic anhydride grafted PP (MA‐g‐PP) for the PP/EVOH interface. Both glass fillers increased the dynamic modulus and decreased the damping of the neat polymers and of their binary blends, especially in the rubbery region. GF has a more profound effect on both the modulus and the damping. Glass surface treatments and compatibilization have only a marginal effect on the dynamic mechanical behavior of the ternary blends. Yet, compatibilization shifted the polymers' T_gS to higher temperatures. Both glass fillers increased the elastic modulus of the binary blends, where GF performed better than GB as a reinforcing agent. GF slightly increased the strength of the binary blends while, GB reduced it. Both fillers reduced the ductility of the binary blends. The blends' mechanical properties were related to the morphology and their components' crystallinity. The compatibilizer increases both stiffness and strength and reduces deformability.     

Mechanical properties and morphology of polylactide,linear low‐density polyethylene,and their blends

Melt blending of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and polylactide (PLA) 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. On the basis of this, LLDPE 80 [80 wt % LLDPE and 20 wt % poly(L ‐lactic acid) (PLLA)] and MA‐g‐low‐density polyethylene 80/4 (80 wt % LLDPE, 20 wt % PLLA, and 4 phr compatibilizer) were found to be an optimum composition. The blends were characterized according to their mechanical, thermal, and morphological behavior. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed that the presence of compatibilizer enhanced the blend compatibility to some extent. The morphological characteristics of the blends with and without compatibilizer were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The dispersion of PLLA in the LLDPE matrix increased with the addition of compatibilizer. This blend may be used for packaging applications. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2010     

Dynamic properties of NR/EVA polymer blends: Model calculations and blend morphology

The dynamic mechanical properties of blends of natural rubber (NR) and the ethylene–vinyl acetate copolymer (EVA), a thermoplastic elastomer, were investigated in terms of the storage modulus and loss tangent for different compositions, using dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) covering a wide temperature range. Mean‐field theories developed by Kerner were applied to these binary blends of different compositions. Theoretical calculations were compared with the experimental small strain dynamic mechanical properties of the blends and their morphological characterizations. Predictions based on the discrete particle model (which considers one of the components as a matrix and the other dispersed as well‐defined spherical inclusions embedded in the matrix) agreed well with the experimental data in the case of 30/70 NR/EVA but not in the case of 70/30 NR/EVA blends. A 50/50 blend, where a cocontinuous morphology was revealed by SEM studies, was found to be approximately modeled by the polyaggregate model (where no matrix phase but a cocontinuous structure of the two is postulated). © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 72: 165–174, 1999     

Effect of clay type and polymer matrix on microstructure and tensile properties of PLA/LLDPE/clay nanocomposites

Polylactide (PLA)/linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE), (PLA/LLDPE), blends and nanocomposites were prepared by melt mixing process with a view to fine tune the properties. Two different commercial‐grade nanoclays, Cloisite® 30B (30B) and Cloisite® 15A (15A) were used. A terpolymer of ethylene, butylacrylate (BA) and glycidylmethacrylate (GMA) was used as a reactive compatibilizer. The influence of type of clay on the morphology and mechanical properties of two PLA‐rich and LLDPE‐rich blend systems was studied. Morphological analysis using X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy revealed that the organoclay layers were dispersed largely at the interface of PLA/LLDPE. Decreasing the PLA content changed the morphology from droplet‐in matrix to coarse co‐continuous. In comparison with 30B, due to less affinity of 15A towards compatibilizer and PLA phase, the reduction of the size of dispersed phase was less than that of the equivalent 30B composites. The mechanical results demonstrated that the composites containing both types of organoclay exhibited higher modulus but lower elongation and tensile strength as compared to the neat blends. The injection molded nanocomposites were shown to have the sequential fracture behavior during tensile test. The tensile testing results on the neat blends and nanocomposites showed significant increase in elongation at break and decrease in the modulus as compared with the neat PLA. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 749‐758, 2013     

Blends of recycled polycarbonate and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene: comparing the effect of reactive compatibilizers on mechanical and morphological properties

Blends of recycled polycarbonate (PC) and acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS) were prepared and some mechanical and morphological properties were investigated. To compatibilize these blends, ABS‐g‐(maleic anhydride) (ABS‐g‐MA) and (ethylene–vinyl acetate)‐g‐(maleic anhydride) (EVA‐g‐MA) with similar degree of grafting of 1.5% were used. To compare the effect of the type of compatibilizer on mechanical properties, blends were prepared using 3, 5 and 10 phr of each compatibilizer. A co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder was used for blending. The results showed that ABS‐g‐MA had no significant effect on the tensile strength of the blends while EVA‐g‐MA decreased the tensile strength, the maximum decrease being about 9.6% when using 10 phr of this compatibilizer. The results of notched Charpy impact strength tests showed that EVA‐g‐MA increased the impact strength of blends more than ABS‐g‐MA. The maximum value of this increase occurred when using 5 phr of each compatibilizer, it being about 54% for ABS‐g‐MA and 165% for EVA‐g‐MA. Scanning electron microscopy micrographs showed that the particle size of the dispersed phase was decreased in the continuous phase of PC by using the compatibilizers. Moreover, a blend without compatibilizer showed brittle behaviour while the blends containing compatibilizer showed ductile behaviour in fracture. © 2013 Society of Chemical Industry     

Recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)/linear low‐density polyethylene blends through physical processing

Poly(styrene‐ethylene/butylene‐styrene) (SEBS) was used as a compatibilizer to improve the thermal and mechanical properties of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)/linear low‐density polyethylene (R‐PET/LLDPE) blends. The blends compatibilized with 0–20 wt % SEBS were prepared by low‐temperature solid‐state extrusion. The effect of SEBS content was investigated using scanning electron microscope, differential scanning calorimeter, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and mechanical property testing. Morphology observation showed that the addition of 10 wt % SEBS led to the deformation of dispersed phase from spherical to fibrous structure, and microfibrils were formed at the interface between two phases in the compatibilized blends. Both differential scanning calorimeter and DMA results revealed that the blend with 20 wt % SEBS showed better compatibility between PET and LLDPE than other blends studied. The addition of 20 wt % of SEBS obviously improved the crystallizibility of PET as well as the modulus of the blends. DMA analysis also showed that the interaction between SEBS and two other components enhanced at high temperature above 130°C. The impact strength of the blend with 20 wt % SEBS increased of 93.2% with respect to the blend without SEBS, accompanied by only a 28.7% tensile strength decrease. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009     

Improved compatibility of high‐density polyethylene/poly(ethylene terephthalate) blend by the use of blocked isocyanate group

The blocked isocyanate group (BHI) was synthesized to improve the storage stability of HI (2‐hydroxyethyl methacrylate combined with isophorone diisocyanate) and characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). High‐density polyethylene grafted with the blocked isocyanate group (HDPE‐g‐BHI) was used as a reactive compatibilizer for an immiscible high‐density polyethylene/poly(ethylene terephthalate) (HDPE/PET) blend. A possible reactive compatibilization mechanism is that regenerated isocyanate groups of HDPE functionalized by BHI react with the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of PET during melt blending. The HDPE‐g‐BHI/PET blend showed the smaller size of a dispersed phase compared to the HDPE/PET blend, indicating improved compatibility between HDPE and PET. This increased compatibility was due to the formation of an in situ graft copolymer, which was confirmed by dynamic mechanical analysis. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis represented that there were few changes in the crystallinity for the continuous PET phase of the HDPE‐g‐BHI/PET blends, compared with those of the HDPE/PET blends at the same composition. Tensile strengths and elongations at the break of the HDPE‐g‐BHI/PET blends were greater than those of the HDPE/PET blends. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 78: 1017–1024, 2000     

The effect of maleated compatibilizers on the structure and properties of EVOH/clay nanocomposites

The effect of compatibilizers on the blending torque, crystallization behavior, intercalation level, thermal stability and morphology of EVOH/treated clay systems was investigated. Maleic anhydride‐grafted ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA‐g‐MA) or maleic anhydride‐grafted linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE‐g‐MA) were used as compatibilizers of EVOH with clay, in various concentrations (1, 5 and 10 wt%). The blends were processed using Brabender Plastograph and characterized by XRD, SEM, DSC, DMTA and TGA. X‐ray diffraction shows advanced intercalation within the galleries when the compatibilizers were added. Unique results were obtained for the EVOH/clay/compatibilizer systems, owing to a high level of interaction developed in these systems, which plays a major role. Thermal analysis showed that with increasing compatibilizer content, lower crystallinity levels result, until at a certain content no crystallization has taken place. Significantly higher viscosity levels were obtained for the EVOH/clay blends compared to the neat polymer, as seen by a dramatic torque increase when processed in the Brabender machine. The DMTA spectra showed lower T_g values for the compatibilized nanocomposites compared to the neat EVOH and the uncompatibilized composites. Storage modulus was higher compared to the uncompatibilized EVOH/clay blend when EVA‐g‐MA compatibilizer was added (at all concentrations), and only at low contents of LLDPE‐g‐MA. TGA results show significant improvement of the blends thermal stability compared to the neat EVOH, and to the uncompatibilized blend, indicating an advanced intercalation.     

Morphology and properties of nylon 6 and high density polyethylene blends in presence of nanoclay and PE‐g‐MA

In this study, we report the synergistic effect of nanoclay and maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE‐g‐MA) on the morphology and properties of (80/20 w/w) nylon 6/high density polyethylene (HDPE) blend. Polymer blend nanocomposites containing nanoclay with and without compatibilizer (PE‐g‐MA) were prepared by melt mixing, and their morphologies and structures were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and wide angle X‐ray diffractometer (WAXD) study. The size of phase‐separated domains decreased considerably with increasing content of nanoclay and PE‐g‐MA. WAXD study and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) revealed the presence of exfoliated clay platelets in nylon 6 matrix, as well as, at the interface of the (80/20 w/w) nylon 6/HDPE blend–clay nanocomposites. Addition of PE‐g‐MA in the blend–clay nanocomposites enhanced the exfoliation of clays in nylon 6 matrix and especially at the interface. Thus, exfoliated clay platelets in nylon 6 matrix effectively restricted the coalescence of dispersed HDPE domains while PE‐g‐MA improved the adhesion between the phases at the interface. The use of compatibilizer and nanoclay in polymer blends may lead to a high performance material which combines the advantages of compatibilized polymer blends and the merits of polymer nanocomposites. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2012     

The Role of Selectively Located Commercial Graphene Nanoplatelets in the Electrical Properties,Morphology, and Stability of EVA/LLDPE Blends

Graphene nanoplatelets (GN) produced on a large scale by mechanochemical exfoliation of graphite are incorporated in a co‐continuous ethylene‐vinyl acetate/linear low‐density polyethylene (EVA/LLDPE) blend. Two different processing routes are chosen to selectively place GN in the EVA phase or force its migration to the EVA/LLDPE interface. The results show a drastic decrease in the electrical percolation threshold when the blends are compared to the respective single‐polymer composites. Even with the presence of agglomerates, GN particles are able to migrate to the blend interface and stabilize the morphology and hence the electrical properties. Annealing the insulating samples at processing temperatures causes a drastic increase in conductivity due to continued GN migration and blend morphology coarsening. Semi‐conductive samples, in which a more robust GN network is already established during processing, present no change in morphology but a slight increase in conductivity during annealing. The mechanical performance of the materials is also evaluated and some of the blends with GN present similar elongation at break as pure EVA, but with increased tensile modulus and tensile strength. The electrical performance at different working temperatures shows that the EVA/LLDPE/GN composites are good candidates to act as a semi‐conductive screen material in power cables or as anti‐static materials in electronic devices.     

Phase structure and viscoelastic properties of compatibilized blends of PET and HDPE recyclates

Immiscible blends of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) (R‐PET), containing some amount of polymeric impurities, and high‐density polyethylene (R‐PE), containing admixture of other polyolefins, in weight compositions of 75 : 25 and 25 : 75 were compatibilized with selected compatibilizers: maleated styrene–ethylene/butylene–styrene block copolymer (SEBS‐g‐MA) and ethylene–glycidyl methacrylate copolymer (EGMA). The efficiency of compatibilization was investigated as a function of the compatibilizer content. The rheological properties, phase structure, thermal, and viscoelastic behavior for compatibilized and binary blends were studied. The results are discussed in terms of phase morphology and interfacial adhesion among components. It was shown that the addition of the compatibilizer to R‐PET‐rich blends and R‐PE‐rich blends increases the melt viscosity of these systems above the level characteristic for the respective binary blends. The dispersion of the minor phase improved with increasing compatibilizer content, and the largest effects were observed for blends compatibilized with EGMA. Calorimetric studies indicated that the presence of a compatibilizer had a slight affect on the crystallization behavior of the blends. The dynamic mechanical analysis provided evidence that the occurrence of interactions of the compatibilizer with blend components occurs through temperature shift and intensity change of a β‐relaxation process of the PET component. An analysis of the loss spectra behavior suggests that the optimal concentration of the compatibilizers in the considered blends is close to 5 wt %. © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 82: 1423–1436, 2001     

Dynamic rheological,morphology and mechanical properties of compatibilized LLDPE/EMA blends

Blends of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and ethylene-co-methyl acrylate (EMA) having 60/40 composition was studied with and without compatibilizing agent. The compatibilizing agent used was maleic anhydride grafted linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE-g-MA). The LLDPE backbones of the compatibilizer are compatible with LLDPE blend component, whereas the maleic anhydride is affinated with carbonyl groups of EMA. The effectiveness of the compatibilizing agent was evaluated using different techniques like mechanical, thermal, scanning electron microscopy and rheological studies. Best compatibilization effect was found in the blend at a loading of 3 wt% of compatibilizer since at this level of compatibilizer complex viscosity, tensile strength, modulus, elongation at break, impact strength was found to be higher. The increase in the melt viscosity, storage modulus and thermal stability of the compatibilized blends indicated enhanced interactions between the discrete LLDPE and EMA phases induced by the functional compatibilizer.