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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Physical behavior and morphology of biaxially rolled low-density polyethyleneX

subject

description

Abstract Biaxial rolling was carried out on low-density polyethylene, and the rolled samples were studied using various techniques. Scanning electron microscopy and analysis of transport properties were used to obtain structural information, which was correlated to thermomechanical and dynamic-mechanical behavior. Results indicate that the initial morphology is destroyed by rolling and that clumps of molecules, like fibrils, are generated parallel to the rolling plane. The molecular orientation in the plane is mainly radial, with some reinforcement, particularly at high rolling degree, along axes diagonal with respect to the rolling directions. The rolling drastically reduces the molecular mobility in the amorphous component, as indicated by the transport and dynamic mechanical data. The effects induced by rolling present some relevant analogies with the effects induced by monoaxial drawing.