Structural evolution of tensile-deformed high-density polyethylene during annealing: Scanning synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering study

The structural evolution of high-density polyethylene subjected to uniaxial tensile deformation was investigated as a function of strain and after annealing at different temperatures using a scanning synchrotron small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) technique. The results confirm that in the course of tensile deformation intralamellar block slips were activated at small deformations followed by a stress-induced fragmentation and recrystallization process yielding thinner lamellae with their normal parallel to the stretching direction. The original sheared lamellae underwent severe internal deformation so that they were even less stable than the newly developed thinner lamellae. Accordingly, annealing results in a melting of the original crystallites even at moderate strains where the stress-induced fragmentation and recrystallization just sets in and generates a distinctly different form of lamellar stacks aligned along the drawing direction. It was found that the lamellae newly formed during stretching at moderate strains remain stable at lower temperature. Only at a very high annealing temperature of 120 degrees C can they be melted, leading to an isotropic distribution of the lamellar structure.

Mechanical and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene toughened with glass beads

Glass beads were used to improve the mechanical and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). HDPE/glass-bead blends were prepared in a Brabender-like apparatus, and this was followed by press molding. Static tensile measurements showed that the modulus of the HDPE/glass-bead blends increased considerably with increasing glass-bead content, whereas the yield stress remained roughly unchanged at first and then decreased slowly with increasing glass-bead content. Izod impact tests at room temperature revealed that the impact strength changed very slowly with increasing glass-bead content up to a critical value; thereafter, it increased sharply with increasing glass-bead content. That is, the lzod impact strength of the blends underwent a sharp transition with increasing glass-bead content. It was calculated that the critical interparticle distance for the HDPE/glass-bead blends at room temperature (25degreesC) was 2.5 mum. Scanning electron microscopy observations indicated that the high impact strength of the HDPE/glass-bead blends resulted from the deformation of the HDPE matrix. Dynamic mechanical analyses and thermogravimetric measurements implied that the heat resistance and heat stability of the blends tended to increase considerably with increasing glass-bead content.

Compatibilization effects of block copolymers in high density polyethylene/syndiotactic polystyrene blends

Three triblock copolymers of poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)-b-styrene] (SEBS) of different molecular weights and one diblock copolymer of poly[styrene-b-(ethylene-co-butylene)] (SEB) were used to compatibilize high density polyethylene/syndiotactic polystyrene (HDPE/sPS, 80/20) blend. Morphology observation showed that phase size of the dispersed sPS particles was significantly reduced on addition of all the four copolymers and the interfacial adhesion between the two phases was dramatically enhanced. Tensile strength of the blends increased at lower copolymer content but decreased with increasing copolymer content. The elongation at break of the blends improved and sharply increased with increments of the copolymers. Drop in modulus of the blend was observed on addition of the rubbery copolymers. The mechanical performance of the modified blends is strikingly dependent not only on the interfacial activity of the copolymers but also on the mechanical properties of the copolymers, particularly at the high copolymer concentration. Addition of compatibilizers to HDPE/sPS blend resulted in a significant reduction in crystallinity of both HDPE and sPS. Measurements of Vicat softening temperature of the HDPE/sPS blends show that heat resistance of HDPE is greatly improved upon incorporation of 20 wt% sPS.

Effect of cross-linking of high-density polyethylene. I. On spherulitic structures

Crystallization behavior and spherulitic structure of linear high-density polyethylene (HDPE), after being irradiated in its molten state by gamma -rays, was investigated by small-angle laser scattering (SALS) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Significant changes in the crystallization of HDPE during cooling in air before and after being irradiated in the melt were observed. A critical minimum average molar mass between cross-links (200 carbon-carbon bonds) for spherulite formation in such an irradiated HDPE network was obtained.

Brittle-ductile transition in high-density polyethylene/glass-bead blends: Effects of interparticle distance and temperature

The toughness of high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/glass-bead blends containing various glass-bead contents as a function of temperature was studied. The toughness of the blends was determined from the notch Izod impact test. A sharp brittle-ductile transition was observed in impact strength-interparticle distance (ID) curves at various temperatures. The brittle-ductile transition of HDPE/glass-bead blends occurred either with reduced ID or with increased temperature. The results indicated that the brittle-ductile-transition temperature dropped markedly with increasing glass-bead content. Moreover, the correlation between the critical interparticle distance (ID.) and temperature was obtained. Similar to the ID, of polymer blends with elastomers, the ID, nonlinearly increased with increasing temperature. However, this was the first observation of the variation of the ID, with temperature for polymer blends with rigid particles. (C) 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Polym. Sci Part B: Polym. Phys 39: 1855-1859, 2001.

Critical crystallization temperature for the occurrence of epitaxy between high-density polyethylene and isotactic polypropylene

The crystallization behavior of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) on highly oriented isotactic polypropylene (iPP) at elevated temperatures (e.g., from 125 to 128 degrees C), was studied using transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction. The results show that epitaxial crystallization of HDPE on the highly oriented iPP substrates occurs only in a thin layer which is in direct contact with the iPP substrate, when the HDPE is crystallized from the melt on the oriented iPP substrates at 125 degrees C. The critical layer thickness of the epitaxially crystallized HDPE is not more than 30 nm when the HDPE is isothermally crystallized on the oriented iPP substrates at 125 degrees C. When the crystallization temperature is above 125 degrees C, the HDPE crystallizes in the form of crystalline aggregates and a few individual crystalline lamellae. But both the crystalline aggregates and the individual crystalline lamellae have no epitaxial orientation relationship with the iPP substrate. This means that there exists a critical crystallization temperature for the occurrence of epitaxial crystallization of HDPE on the melt-drawn oriented iPP substrates (i.e., 125 degrees C). (C) 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

Crystallization behavior of blends of high-density polyethylene with novel linear low-density polyethylene

Blends of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) with novel linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) samples in the whole range of compositions were investigated by means of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). The LLDPEs are ethylene/octene-1 copolymers prepared with a single-site catalyst, with a narrower distribution of branches compared to Ziegler-Natta type polymers. It was found that cocrystallization or separate crystallization in the blends profoundly depends on the content of branches in the LLDPE, while the critical branch content of the novel LLDPE for separate crystallization is much lower than that of commercial LLDPE (prepared with Ziegler-Natta catalysts). This implies that the miscibility of linear and branched polyethylene is also affected by the distribution of branches. The marked expansion of the unit cell in cocrystals, which are formed by HDPE with the novel LLDPE, indicates that the branches are included in the crystal lattice during the cocrystallization process. The result is very helpful to understand the phenomenon that the unit cell dimensions of commercial branched polyethylene are larger than those of linear polyethylene.

COMPATIBILIZATION OF HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE/POLYISOPRENE BLENDS WITH POLYETHYLENE/POLYISOPRENE THREAD-THROUGH COPOLYMERS

The compatibilization of high density polyethylene (HDPE)/polyisoprene (PI) blends with polyethylene/polyisoprene (PE/PI) ''thread-through'' copolymers was investigated. The proliferating structure of PE/PI with segments chemically identical to HDPE and PI, respectively, is different from that of graft copolymers. Studies showed that the dispersed domain size in the blends was significantly reduced and interfacial adhesion was improved by the compatibilization action of the copolymer. In the differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis, the crystallization peak of HDPE in the blends became broad with adding the copolymer and fractionated crystallization appeared in the HDPE/PI blend compatibilized with the copolymer at a weight ratio of 30/70 while it appeared in the blend without copolymer at a weight ratio of 20/80. DMA results showed that by adding the copolymer, both the glass transition temperature (T-g) of the PI component and the alpha-relaxation of HDPE shifted to lower temperature, demonstrating the enhanced penetration of the two components. Mechanical properties of the blends were improved, especially the elongation at break, by the presence of the copolymers. The characteristic yielding at the fractured surface of the blends compatibilized with the copolymer indicates the fractural behavior of the material changed from brittle to tough.

STRUCTURE AND PROPERTIES OF MALEATED HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

Possible changes in the structure and properties of maleated polyethylene (HDPE-MA) at different degrees of grafting (D.G.) were examined. At the level of 1.6 maleic anhydride (MA)/100 ethylene units E, 70-80% of crystallinity of the parent PE was retaine

EPITAXIAL CRYSTALLIZATION OF HIGH-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE ON POLYPROPYLENE IN SOLUTION-CAST FILMS

Epitaxial crystallization of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) on isotactic polypropylene (iPP) in solution-cast films has been investigated by electron microscopy. The specimen-tilt technique of electron microscopy has been used to study the structural relationship between HDPE and iPP crystals. HDPE exhibits different crystalline morphologies in the two basic types of iPP spherulite textures, cross-hatched and lathlike regions. In the former, the crystallographic c axis of HDPE lamellae is in the film plane, while in the latter, the c axis of HDPE crystallites is at an angle of about 50-degrees with the normal of the film. In both structural regions of iPP, however, the contact planes of epitaxial growth are (0 1 0) for iPP and (1 0 0) for HDPE.

STUDY ON POLYANILINE FILM WITH HIGH-DENSITY AND HIGH MECHANICAL STRENGTH

Free-standing film of polyaniline with excellent mechanical and electrical properties has been successfully prepared by using the solution-casting method. The results show that its tensile strength, Young's modulus and elongation at break are about 87.9 MPa, 1563.9 MPa and 10.2%, respectively. It is essential that the soluble polyaniline should be appropriately treated in some suitable organic solvents before making a free-standing film. Films having lustrous, smooth surface, high density and good flexibili...

Nano-urchin: The formation and structure of high-density spherical clusters of vanadium oxide nanotubes

We report the observation of urchin-like nanostructures consisting of high-density spherical nanotube radial arrays of vanadium oxide nanocomposite, successfully synthesized by a simple chemical route using an ethanolic solution of vanadium tri-isopropoxide and alkyl amine hexadecylamine for 7 days at 180oC. The results show that the growth process of the NanoUrchin occurs in stages, starting with a radial self-organized arrangement of lamina followed by the rolling of the lamina into nanotubes. The longest nanotubes are measured to be several micrometers in length with diameters of ~120 nm and hollow centers typically measured to be ~75 nm. The NanoUrchin have an estimated density of nanotubes of ~40 sr-1. The tube walls comprise layers of vanadium oxide with the organic surfactant intercalated between atomic layers. The interlayer distance is measured to be 2.9 ± 0.1 nm and electron diffraction identified the vanadate phase in the VOx nanocomposite as orthorhombic V2O5. These nanostructures may be used as three-dimensional composite materials and as supports for other materials.