Abstract
The morphology development and mechanical properties of low density polyethylene (LDPE)/ poly ethylene terephthalate (PET) blends and microfibrillar composites (MFC) at varying concentrations of a compatibilizer polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) were analyzed in this study. The microstructure of the microfibrillar blends (MFBs) and composites during the various stages of their preparation was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The aspect ratio of the PET microfibrils was found to increase with compatibilizer loading up to an optimum level. The presence of 4 wt% PE-g-MA affected the dimensions of the PET fibrils differently in 75/25 and 85/15 w/w% microfibrillar blends. The variation in the length of the microfibrils was found to influence the static and dynamic mechanical properties of the microfibrillar composites. The studies pointed towards the necessity of optimizing the compatibilizer concentration to achieve enhanced properties for the MFCs.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 84-105 |
| Number of pages | 22 |
| Journal | International Journal of Plastics Technology |
| Volume | 19 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 1 Jun 2015 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Compatibilizer
- Mechanical properties
- Microfibrillar composites
- Morphology
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Polymers and Plastics