Effect of Silica Antiblock on Thermo-oxidative Degradation of Polyethylene Film Grades: Rheological Investigation

Silica is added to polyethylene film grades to roughen their surface and thereby to prevent layers of the film from sticking. Silica usually has impurities like iron oxide facilitating degradation of the polyethylene resin.Rheological investigation of thermo-oxidative degradation of polyethylene resin was carried out using a Rheometric Mechanical Spectrometer. Obviously, observed increases in dynamic modulus and viscosity are attributed to formation of long chain branching (crosslinking). Our results indicated that the presence of silica increase the rate of degradation of polyethylene, remarkably

Keywords:

Polyethylene , silica , degradation , crosslinking , rheological parameters