Tensile property and interfacial dewetting in the calcite filled HDPE, LDPE, and LLDPE composites

Mechanical properties and complex melt viscosity of unfilled and the calcite (calcium carbonate: CaCO3) filled high density polyethylene (HDPE), low density polyethylene (LDPE), and linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) composites using dumbbell bar and film specimens are studied. In addition, the formation of air holes between calcium carbonate and the resin matrix was investigated from the phase morphology and interfacial behavior between the above constituents upon stretching using scanning electron microscopy. The tensile stress and the complex melt. viscosity of the calcite filled (50%) polyethylene composites were higher than that of unfilled ones, implying that the reinforcing effect of calcium carbonate. The crack was initiated up to first 50% elongation along the transverse direction and the formation of air holes was originated by dewetting occurring through machine direction in the interface between calcium carbonate surface and HDPE. The propagation mechanism of the air hole formation was proposed to firstly originate by dewetting up to 300% elongation, and enlarged not only by breaking of a superimposed fibril structure, but also by merging effect air holes between fibrous resin matrix. However, the crack propagation was not observed at the very beginning elongation for the calcite filled LDPE and LLDPE systems. Less fibril structure was observed in LLDPE, then LDPE composites. The observed shape and the average size of the air holes were different from system to system. This sort of different interfacial behavior and mechanical properties may arise from different configuration of polyethylene. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.