Effect of layered silicates on the crystallinity and mechanical properties of HDPE/MMT nanocomposite blown films

The highdensitypolyethylene (HDPE)/montmorillonite (MMT) nanocomposites were prepared by melt blending using twin screw extruder with two step process. The master batches were manufactured by melt compounding with maleic anhydride grafted HDPE (HDPE-g-MAH) and MMT. The HPDE/MMT master batches were subsequently mixed with HDPE. The blown nanocomposite films were obtained by a single screw extruder attached film blowing and take-off unit. The MMT dispersion in the nanocomposite films was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The influence of MMT on the crystallinity, thermal properties and mechanical properties as a function of compatibilizer was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and universal testing machine, respectively. X-ray and TEM images showed the partially exfoliated nanocomposites which have the 5:1 - 20:1 ratios of HPDE-g-MAH and MMT. The thermal and mechanical properties of nanocomposites were enhanced by increasing the contents of MMT and in the presence of compatibilizer.