High-density polyethylene filled with modified chalk

High-density polyethylene was filled with chalk in various concentrations ranging from 10% to 60% by weight. Ethylene oxide oligomer M_w = 300 was used as a liquid modifier for chalk in the amount 0 ÷ 20 wt % of the filler. The mechanical properties of these composites showed that high density polyethylene filled with chalk have quite high ultimate elongation and impact strength while their elastic modulus and tensile strength are very near to those values for pure high density polyethylene. On the base of mechanical properties and microscopical observations, the crack and microcrack damping is attributed to the presence of ethylene oxide oligomer.