Structure and properties of maleated linear low-density polyethylene and cellulose acetate butyrate blends

Blends of M-LLDPE and CAB were prepared in an internal laboratory mixer with 5, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 wt.-% of CAB. Structure and properties of the blends were studied by means of tensile tests, DSC, SEM, extraction with a selective solvent, Raman spectroscopy and XRD. Blends prepared with 5 and 10 wt.-% of CAB displayed the best mechanical properties. SEM and extraction with a selective solvent followed by Raman spectroscopy showed good interfacial adhesion between CAB and M-LLDPE. No significant change on the melting temperatures (T-m) of the M-LLDPE/CAB blends could be observed when compared with the T-m obtained for pure M-LLDPE. XRD demonstrated that the addition of CAB has no influence on the lattice constants of M-LLDPE, but the introduction of CAB increased the amorphous region, confirming that the miscibility occurs on the amorphous region of the polyethylene.