Structure and properties of composites of polyethylene or maleated polyethylene and cellulose or cellulose esters

Composites of linear low‐density poly(ethylene‐co‐butene) (PE) or maleated linear low‐density poly (ethylene‐co‐butene) (M‐PE) and cellulose (CEL), cellulose acetate (CA), cellulose acetate propionate (CAP), or cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) were prepared in an internal laboratory mixer with 20 wt % polysaccharide. The structure and properties of the composites were studied with tensile testing, dynamic mechanical thermal analysis, differential scanning calorimetry, extraction with a selective solvent, Raman spectroscopy, and X‐ray diffraction. Composites prepared with M‐PE presented yield stress and elongation values higher than those of composites prepared with PE, showing the compatibilizer effect of maleic anhydride. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis performed for M‐PE–CEL, M‐PE–CA, M‐PE–CAP, and M‐PE–CAB composites showed one glass‐transition temperature (T_g) close to that observed for pure M‐PE, and for M‐PE–CAP, another T_g lower than that measured for the polysaccharide was observed, indicating partial mutual solubility. These findings were confirmed by the extraction of one phase with a selective solvent, gravimetry, and Raman spectroscopy. X‐ray diffraction showed that the addition of CEL, CA, CAP, or CAB had no influence on the lattice constants of PE or M‐PE, but the introduction of the reinforcing material increased the amorphous region. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 103:402–411, 2007