Effect of controlled peroxide curing on the dynamic and capillary rheology of LLDPE/EMA/Clay nanocomposites

The effect of controlled dicumyl peroxide (DCP) curing on the rheological behavior of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene methyl acrylate (EMA)/Closite^®20A nanocomposites were investigated under dynamic and steady shear flow (in a capillary) conditions. The nancomposites were melt‐compounded at 140°C, by varying the sequence of addition and amount of Cloisite^®20A and DCP. The nanocomposites were cured in a compression mold at 170°C for 12 min. Both the cured and uncurednancomposites showed non‐Newtonian behavior and the elastic response of both cured and uncurednanocomposites increases with increasing frequency. The activation energy of flow for LLDPE/EMA/Closite^®20A nanocomposites was increased with increasing DCP content. DCP‐cured nanocomposites exhibited shorter relaxation time than uncured nanocomposites. The die swell values are well correlated with relaxation results. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2814–2821, 2017. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers