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pps proceeding
Symposium: S08 - Polymer Foams
Poster Presentation
 
 

PREDICTION OF AN EFFECTIVE PHYSICAL FOAMABILITY OF LLDPE/LDPE BLENDS FROM RHEOLOGICAL ASSESSMENTS

Cardoso Elisabeth Carvalho Leite (1)*, Scagliusi Sandra Regina (2), Lugão Ademar Benevolo (2)

(1) IPEN - Instituto de Pesquisas Energeticas e Nucleares - São Paulo - Brazil, (2) IPEN - São Paulo - Brazil

LLDPE has a much lower melt strength, due to no long chain side branched molecules, only short chain branching, generally; consequently, foams cannot typically be produced from 100% LLDPE. Foams are very hard to be produced with LLDPE because of wall rupture from lack of melt strength; foams with uniform, closed cell structure were made susceptible using the irradiated LLDPE, but showed strain hardening elongation rheology. So, foaming experiments were carried out with blends of gamma-induced irradiation long-chain branching LLDPE and LDPE; LDPE is often used for foaming, because of their good melt strength, but offer inferior properties when compared to LLDPE. Another advantage of foams made from radiation branched polymers is that it is not crosslinked, so, recyclability is not affected. The market size of non-crosslinked polyolefins foams was estimated to be around 150 million kg. With excellent cushioning properties, good chemical and oil resistance and high moisture barrier, low-density polyolefins foams have wide applications in insulation, packaging, flotation, sports, hygiene products, medical and pharmaceutical applications. LLDPE with radiation-induced Long Chain Branching (LCB) and improved foaming processability may have very great potential in large-scale commercialization. This work aims to investigation of rheological properties as per: Melt Index at 190o C, Melt Strength and Extrudate Index at 150, 160, 170 and 190o C, in LLDPE/LDPE blends (10, 20, 30 / 90, 80, 70), LLDPE irradiated at 10, 20 and 30 kGy doses. Complementary studies will comprise physical foaming using CO2 as blowing agent in a Haake extruder with mono-screw specific for foaming, in order to indicate ideal LLDPE/LDPE formulation at a lower gamma-irradiation dosis, in order to provide an effective foaming.