Effect of Cellulose Nanocrystals and Hot Stretching on Shish–Kebab Structures of High-Density Polyethylene

Abstract

In this study, we aimed to further enhance the properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) by controlling the shish−kebab structures formed during dynamic packing injection molding (DPIM) through the addition of cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) filler and hot stretching. The microstructure of HDPE and HDPE/CNC DPIM samples with and without hot stretching was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), and small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). The results showed that the combination of CNC and hot stretching significantly altered the crystallization behavior of HDPE. After adding CNC and applying hot stretching, the degree of orientation increased from 0.704 to 0.859, and clear interlocking shish− kebab structures were observed. The degree of crystallization increased from 57.71 to 59.28%. The synergistic effect of cellulose nanocrystals and hot stretching effectively reinforced HDPE by changing its microstructure and morphology. In comparison with HDPE DPIM samples without hot stretching, the tensile strength of HDPE/CNC after hot stretching increased from 52.45 to 88.99 MPa, and the Vicat softening temperature increased from 97.7 to 103.7 °C.

Influence of Strong Shear Field on Structure and Performance of HDPE/PA6 In Situ Microfibril Composites

“…High-density polyethylene (HDPE), as a high-crystallinity, non-polar thermoplastic resin, has good comprehensive properties such as low toxicity, excellent cold resistance, good mechanical performance, great chemical resistance and ease of processing [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]. Therefore, it has become one of the most widely applied general-purpose plastics.…”