Optical properties of blown and cast polyethylene films: Surface versus bulk structural considerations

In this article we report on some surprising, and we believe new, findings regarding the factors affecting the optical properties (haze) of polyethylene blown and cast films. A comprehensive investigation of blown and cast films made from conventional Ziegler-Natta catalyzed linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) as well as metallocene-catalyzed LLDPE (mLLDPE) resins was conducted. The large majority of the contribution to the total haze in the blown and cast films was observed to come from the surface roughness of the films, with the bulk (internal) contribution being relatively minor. Using a variety of analysis and characterization methods, including atomic force microscopy, small angle light scattering, and wide angle X-ray scattering, we determined that the surface roughness in these films was a result of the development of distinct spherulitic-like superstructures formed during the blown or cast film processing. Furthermore, these superstructures were observed only in the mLLDPE blown films, and not in the LLDPE blown films processed at similar conditions. Analysis of the rheological and molecular characteristics of these various mLLDPE and LLDPE resins revealed that the mLLDPE resins exhibited considerably lower molecular weight, narrower molecular weight distribution, lower zero shear viscosity, and lower melt elasticity compared with the LLDPE resins of similar melt index. These observations support our general finding and primary conclusion from this work that in polyethylene blown and cast films made using typical processing conditions, the optical haze properties are adversely affected because of enhanced surface roughness caused by the formation of spherulitic-like superstructures in polymer melts that possess fast relaxing and low melt elasticity rheological characteristics. (C) 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.