Toughness mechanism in semi-crystalline polymer blends: II. High-density polyethylene toughened with calcium carbonate filler particles

Abstract Here we extend the investigation described in the preceding companion communication. To rectify its notch brittleness, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was modified by rigid particulate fillers consisting of three different sizes of CaCO 3 particles of 3.50, 0.70 and 0.44  μ m weight average diameter in various volume fractions. Mechanical properties including notched Izod impact energy of the extrusion-blended/injection-moulded samples were examined as a function of filler particle size and filler volume fraction. In exactly the same manner as exhibited by the rubber particle-modified compositions described in the previous communication, the toughness of the CaCO 3 -filled materials increased dramatically when the mean interparticle ligament thickness of the matrix polyethylene dropped to values below 0.6  μ m. The stiff fillers used in this study provided the unusual additional benefit of substantially increasing the Young's modulus of the compounds while also dramatically improving their impact energy.

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