Flexural and impact properties of high‐density polyethylene/linear low‐density polythylene blend

Abstract

Abstract In this article, a study of flexural and impact properties of binary blends of high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE), over a full range of blending ratios, is presented. The property distinctions in the three ranges of composition (viz., HDPE‐rich blend, LLDPE‐rich blend, and the middle region) are remarkable and consistent with the different effects of cocrystallization in the respective concentration ranges. Furthermore, the analysis of flexural yield properties data, in terms of the Ree‐Eyring equation, and the correlation of results with variation of x‐ray crystallinity are presented, which suggests the existence of two types (i.e., mobile and immobile) of segments in the amorphous phase of the blend. The relative variation of these two types of amorphous phase in the three different composition ranges of the blend are discussed. The impact strength variation of this blend is also found to correlate with the variation of the fraction of amorphous phase in the blend. © 1993 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.