Structure and properties of talc‐filled polyethylene and nylon 6 films

Abstract

Abstract Water vapor transmission rates can be reduced by as much as 50% in polyethylene by using talc as a filler. The oxygen permeability as well as water vapor transmission rates are similarly reduced by talc in nylon 6 films. The films show low elongation at break and reduced breaking strenth in the presence of talc. The yield strength and the modulus increase with the amount of talc, whereas the elongation at yield decreases. The mechanical and the barrier properties change with the size of the filler, the smaller size being more favorable. Talc probably acts as a nucleating agent and increases the crystallinity in polyethylene and nylon. Polyethylene unit cells in talc‐filled films are oriented with the (110) planes parallel to the (001) planes of talc. Nylon 6 crystals, which are in the α form in the presence of talc, are oriented with the hydrogen bonded sheets, the (002) planes, parallel to the (001) planes of talc. In both polyethylene and nylon 6, talc is oriented with the c‐axis normal to the plane of the film, i.e., with the broad faces of talc flakes in the plane of the film. Lattice matching between the polymer and talc suggests epitaxy to be a contributing factor for the observed orientation of polyethylene and nylon 6 crystals.