Toughening effect of maleic anhydride grafted linear low density polyethylene on linear low density polyethylene

The blend of linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) and maleic-anhydride grafted LLDPE with the grafting degree of 1.3% and the gel content of 27.0% (designated as LLDPE/MA-PE) was melt-compounded. Their thermal, rheological, and mechanical properties were studied. The crystallization temperature and crystallization rate of LLDPE/MA-PE blends increase due to the nucleation of MA-PE, their crystallinity is between those of LLDPE and MA-PE due to the balance between the nucleation of MAPE and simultaneously produced more defects. The addition of MA-PE increases the apparent viscosity of blend melts, but the shear-sensitivity of blends provides them with melting processing. Interestingly, the lamellar crystallites induced by MA-PE decrease the tensile yielding strength of LLDPE/MA-PE blends. During the impact fracture, the formation of oriented crystalline lamellae parallel to the crack front and perpendicular to the crack flank, leads to the deformation and microstriations in LLDPE/MA-PE blends. Subsequently, toughness of LLDPE/MA-PE blends is improved.