Investigation on permeability of packaging films based on Polyethylene/Ethylene vinyl alcohol/Nanoclay nanocomposite

In this research, permeability of films based on Polyethylene/Ethylene vinyl alcohol/Nanoclay nanocomposites have been investigated. Nanocomposites were fabricated in two different ways by melt mixing in an extruder. In the first category, all materials including polymers, compatibillisers and nanoparticles were mixed in one step. To make the second batch of nanocomposites, first the masterbatch was made of polyethylene and nanoclay and then the masterbatch was mixed with the rest of the materials in certain proportions. Scanning electron microscopy was performed to examine the morphology and in a number of samples laminar morphology was found. X-ray diffraction test was performed to investigate the distribution of nanoparticles in nanocomposites and a direct relationship was found between the percentage of compatibility and the diffusion quality of clay nanoparticles. Oxygen permeability tests were performed on all samples. The best results of barrier properties belong to nanocomposites made in two stages, in which the dispersion rate of clay nanoparticles has played an important role and the permeability has been reduced up to 75% compared to polyethylene.