Effect of mixing temperature on the dispersion and degradation behaviors of HDPE/UHMWPE blends

There is currently considerable interest in high-density polyethylene (HDPE)/ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) blends as recyclable all-polyolefin materials with favorable mechanical properties that can be processed by continuous melt-mixing. Optimal mixing is required to improve the mechanical properties of polymer blends by ensuring their dispersibility and low degradation. In the present study, we investigated the effects of mixing temperature on the dispersion and degradation behaviors of HDPE/UHMWPE blends. Neat HDPE and a HDPE blend comprising 5% UHMWPE were obtained by melt-mixing while changing the input energy in an internal batch mixer under a nitrogen atmosphere. The temperature of the mixer was set at 200 degrees C for neat HDPE, and at 180, 200, and 220 degrees C for the HDPE/UHMWPE blends. Optical microscopy and thermal analysis revealed that the dispersion of UHMWPE in HDPE was accelerated at higher mixing temperatures. However, in the high input energy range, mixing at 200 degrees C resulted in the most favorable dispersion. Gel permeation chromatography and rheological measurements suggested that chain scission and branching/crosslinking due to degradation were accelerated at higher mixing temperatures, even when mixing in a nitrogen atmosphere. Chemiluminescence measurements suggested that chain scission and branching/crosslinking were caused by an initial oxidation reaction. Furthermore, for the same input energy, the maximum shear stress increased as the mixing temperature decreased, but the mixing time and thermal history increased as the mixing temperature increased. The results suggest that in a blend comprising HDPE and UHMWPE, mixing at the molecular level due to high temperature and fine dispersion of UHMWPE due to shear stress proceed simultaneously. On the other hand, the results also confirmed that degradation was more influenced by the promotion of oxidation due to high temperatures and prolonged mixing than by shear stress.