Thermal properties and morphology of recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate)/maleic anhydride grafted linear low‐density polyethylene blends

Abstract

Properties of recycled Poly(ethylene terephthalate) were greatly improved. Recycled PET was blended with LLDPE-g-MA by low-temperature solid-state extrusion. Mechanical properties of the blends were affected obviously by the added LLDPE-g-MA. Elongation at break reaches 352.8% when the blend contains 10 wt % LLDPE-g-MA. Crystallization behavior of PET phase was affected by LLDPE-g-MA content. Crystallinity of PET decreased with the increase of LLDPE-g-MA content. FTIR testified that maleic anhydride group in LLDPE-g-MA reacted with the end hydroxyl groups of PET and PET-co-LLDPE-g-MA copolymers were in situ synthesized. SEM micrographs display that LLDPE-g-MA phase and PET phase are incompatible and the compatibility of the blends can be improved by the forming of PET-co-LLDPE-g-MA copolymer. LLDPE-g-MA content was less, the LLDPE-g-MA phase dispersed in PET matrix fine. With the increase of LLDPE-g-MA content, the morphology of dispersed LLDPE-g-MA phase changed from spherule to cigar bar, then to irregular spherule.

Recycling Polymer Blends

“…The addition of maleated SEBS (10 wt%) led to the deformation of the dispersed phase from spherical to fibrous structures, with microfibrils formed at the interface between the two phases. The best compatibility was found when 20 wt% of maleated SEBS with positive effects on the elastic modulus and impact strength in agreement with the other studies (Zhang et al 2008;Jeziórska 2006). SEBS-g-MA was also used as compatibilizer impact modifier for blends of r-PET with different polyethylenes (LLDPE, LDPE, m-PE) to evaluate the influence of the structural differences of the PE phase on the properties of the material (Zhang et al 2011).…”

“…The interfacial adhesion was found improved as well as the static and impact mechanical properties: LLDPE-g-MA bridges the polyester and the polyamide forming in situ copolymers r-PET/LLDPE-g-MA/PA6 that locate at the interface acting as compatibilizers. The same modifier (LLDPE-g-MA) was used alone to improve the properties of r-PET also by adopting a low-temperature solid-state extrusion that consists in processing the r-PET above the cold crystallization temperature but slightly below the melting temperature (Zhang et al 2008). The use of lower processing temperature allows reducing the hydrolytic degradation or r-PET, while the maleated polyethylene improves the ductility with a leveloff above 10 wt%.…”

Preparation and characterization of glass fiber–reinforced polyethylene terephthalate/linear low density polyethylene (GF‐PET/LLDPE) composites

“…We know of only a few studies that have considered the blend system of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) . This is despite the importance and versatility of both thermoplastics from the application side.…”

Comparative Studies on the Mechanical, Degradation and Interfacial Properties between Jute and E-Glass Fiber-Reinforced PET Composites

“…PET is a low cost and high performance thermoplastic [6][7][8][9] . It is widely used as packaging materials, fiber and sheet due to good rigidity, hardness, abrasion resistance, solvent resistance, and electric insulation properties.…”