Toward forced assembly of in situ low-density polyethylene composites reinforced with low- phosphate glass fibers: effects of matrix crystallization and shear deformation

• Published in: Polymer engineering and science 2012-10, Vol.52 (10), p.2090
• Main Authors: Lanneluc, Romain, Bounor-Legare, Veronique, Fulchiron, Rene, Katena, Jin, Otaigbe, Joshua U
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Chemical properties; Composition; Crystallization; Glass reinforced plastics; Mechanical properties; Polymeric composites; Production processes; Shear (Mechanics)
• ISSN: 0032-3888; 1548-2634
• DOI: 10.1002/pen.23163

This study is aimed at investigating the feasibility of using facile forced assembly methods (temperature and shear strain-induced orientation of the dispersed phase) to create novel "in situ" low-density polyethylene (LDPE) composites containing fibrillar inorganic phosphate glass (P-glass) reinforcing phase during the composite fabrication. Clearly, the experimental results show that unique thermo-rheological conditions exist under which the 'in situ' LDPE composites containing fibrillar P-glass with potential enhanced benefits can be prepared. DSC results showed that the P-glass has a moderate nucleating effect on the LDPE crystallization that restricts in situ deformation of the P-glass during the composite fabrication. Rheo-optical data showed that a 5% P-glass/95% LDPE hybrid composition, subjected to a shear rate of 20 [s.sup.-1] in the parallel plate configuration and 130 °C gave 'in situ' LDPE composite samples with the largest amount of P-glass fibers in the limited range of experimental conditions used. This study may spur interests in a better understanding of the potential for the gin situ' reinforcement of engineering plastics with inorganic P-glasses, at the molecular level, to produce novel gin situ' polymer composites with very high aspect ratios of the reinforcing inorganic phase. POLYM. ENG. SCI., 52:2090-2098, 2012. © 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers