Thermal fractionation and properties of different polyethylene/wax blends

• Published in: Journal of applied polymer science Vol. 104; no. 4; pp. 2225 - 2236
• Main Authors: Hato, M. J., Luyt, A. S.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Hoboken Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company 15.05.2007; Wiley
• Subjects: Applied sciences; blends; DSC; Exact sciences and technology; Organic polymers; paraffin wax; Physicochemistry of polymers; polyethylene; Properties and characterization; tensile properties; Thermal and thermodynamic properties; thermal fractionation; Differential scanning calorimetry; Fractionation; Polymer blends; Property composition relationship; High density ethylene polymer; Mechanical properties; Tensile property; Experimental study; polyethylene; Thermal properties; tensile properties; Low density ethylene polymer; DSC; Miscibility; thermal fractionation; Olefin polymer; Thermodynamic properties; Linear low density ethylene polymer; blends; Paraffin wax
• ISSN: 0021-8995; 1097-4628
• DOI: 10.1002/app.25494

The influence of paraffin‐wax type and content on the properties of its blends with HDPE, LDPE, and LLDPE was investigated. Melt‐mixing of HDPE with wax gave rise to completely miscible blends for both 10 and 20% wax contents. A wax content of 30% gave rise to a partially miscible blend. These observations were supported by the thermal fractionation (stepwise cooling) results. Melt‐mixing of LDPE with hard paraffin wax gave rise to a partially miscible blend for all wax contents investigated, while complete miscibility was observed for the 10% oxidized hard paraffin wax containing blend. Complete miscibility was observed for all the LLDPE/A1 wax blends, with A1 wax as an oxidized hard paraffin wax. This indicates possible cocrystallization of this wax with LLDPE, which was also evident from the thermal fractionation curves. LLDPE blends with hard paraffin wax were, however, partially miscible for all wax contents. All the observations were supported by the surface free energy results. It is further clear from the thermal fractionation results that the presence of wax changed the crystallization behavior of LDPE and LLDPE. Changes in the tensile properties are explained in terms of the miscibility and proposed morphologies of the blends. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 104: 2225–2236, 2007