Degradation of HDPE and LLDPE in closed mixing chamber: a comparison

Summary Degradation of linear high density polyethylene (HDPE) and butyl branched linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) was studied during moulding in a closed mixing chamber. At the beginning of the process the rate of oxidative degradation was found faster for LLDPE than for HDPE but later this relation reversed. The degradation mechanism was the same for both types of polyethylenes but the rate of elementary steps depended on the chemical structure of the polymer chain. The differences were attributed to the structural differences in the original materials and the products formed during degradation.