Time and shear dependent rheology of maleated polyethylene and its nanocomposites

Dipole-dipole and/or hydrogen-bonding interactions between the pendant functional groups within maleated high-density polyethylene (PE-g-MAn) establish a physical polymer network, whose formation kinetics and shear-sensitivity are revealed by dynamic oscillatory testing. The pronounced time and shear dependent viscoelastic properties of PE-g-MAn were not observed for a corresponding imide derivative, PE-g-imide, presumably due to weakened functional group associations in the latter material.The melt compounding of PE-g-MAn with onium-ion exchanged montmorillonite clay (NR₄⁺-MM) resulted in a partially exfoliated hybrid nanocomposite structure, whose viscoelastic behaviour differed significantly from that of the unfilled polymer. The presence of dispersed clay platelets altered the extent of functional group associations, thereby changing the dynamics of network formation.