Ultradrawing of blend films of ethylene-dimethyl-aminoethyl methacrylate copolymer and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene prepared by gelation/crystallization from solutions

Copolymer ethylene-dimethyl-aminoethyl methacrylate (EDAM) with 3.9% DAM side groups and ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) were blended in decalin solvent. The hot homogenized solution was poured into an aluminum tray to form gels and the decalin was allowed to evaporate from the resultant gels under ambient condition. Surprisingly, the resultant dry blend films could be elongated to more than 200-fold (lambda = 200) even for the blend film with 90% EDAM content (9/1 composition), although the maximum draw ratio of EDAM homopolymer films was 1.6-fold (lambda = 1.6). The mechanism of the great drawability was dependent upon the content of EDAM. The drawability for the 9/1 composite films was attributed to large crystal lamellae of UHMWPE ensuring crystal transition from a folded to a fibrous type. Accordingly, EDAM chains were independent of ultradrawing of UHMWPE and kept a random orientation under ultra-drawing process. The storage (Young's) modulus was 10 GPa at 20degreesC. In contrast, EDAM chains within the 1/1 composite films were oriented drastically together with UHMWPE crystallites. The modulus of the 1/1 composition at 20degreesC reached 68 GPa, which was higher than the value (40 GPa) of polypropylene films with lambda = 100. Such considerable difference of modulus due to EDAM content was analyzed in relation to the gelation/crystallization from solutions. (C) 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.