Effect of PE molecular structure on melt rheology and thermal behavior of PE/PH-1 blends

The purpose of this study was to compare the influence of PE structure on the phase morphology, rheological properties and thermal behavior of LDPE, LLDPE and HDPE blended with synthesized polyhexene-1. The SEM images showed a droplet-matrix morphology. HDPE/PH-1 blend images showed smallest droplet particle size, which indicated good compatibility compared to other blends. The rheology experiment was used for inferring the internalstructures. The Cole-Cole plots indicated deviation from semi-circular shape at higher percentage than 10 wt% of PH-1 for LDPE/PH-1 and LLDPE/PH-1. This deviation was not observed in HDPE/PH-1 blend that were in good agreement with SEM results. It is found from DSC and XRD plots that presence of PH-1 influenced the melting and crystallization behavior of different PE in different ways, and PH-1 had pronounced nucleation effect only in LDPE/PH-1. In all of the blends degree of crystallinity declined as a remake of amorphous part of PE

Keywords:

Polyethylene , Polyhexene-1 , Phase morphology , Rheology , Thermal behavior