Microcellular foaming of PE/PP blends

Three different polyethylene/polypropylene (PE/PP) blends were microcellular foamed and their crystallinities and melt strengths were investigated. The relationship between crystallinity, melt strength, and cellular structure was studied. Experimental results showed that the three blends had similar variation patterns in respect of crystallinity, melt strength, and cellular structure, and these variation patterns were correlative for each blend. For all blends, the melt strength and PP melting point initially heightened and then lowered, the PP crystallinity first decreased, and then increased as the PE content increased. At PE content of 30%, the melt strength and PP melting point were highest and the PP crystallinity was least. The blend with lower PP crystallinity and higher melt strength had better cellular structure and broader microcellular foaming temperature range. So, three blends had best cellular structure at PE content of 30%. Furthermore, when compared with PE/homopolymer (hPP) blend, the PE/copolymer PP (cPP) blend had higher melt strength, better cellular structure, and wider microcellular foaming temperature range, so it was more suited to be microcellular foamed. Whereas LDPE/cPP blend had the broadest microcellular foaming temperature range because of its highest melt strength within three blends. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 4149–4159, 2007