HDPE Surface Functionalization by Low-Energy Ion-Beam Irradiation under a Reactive O₂ Environment and Its Effect on the HDPE/Nylon 66 Blend

Abstract

A low energy Ar+ ion-beam was used to modify the surface of a high-density polyethylene (HDPE) dry powder. The modification reaction was promoted by the oxygen gas injected during the irradiation. This simple modification route is characterized as a heterogeneous, solvent-free, environmentally favorable process. The surface functional groups of the modified HDPE were confirmed with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy as being various oxygen-containing functional groups. The concentration of the functional groups varied rapidly with the irradiation time, reached a maximum value and then slowly decreased. Because of the low-energy characteristics of the ion beam, the changes in the molecular weight, the melting temperature, and the crystallinity of the modified HDPE were not significant, as evidenced by gel-permeation chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry. The rheological behavior of an HDPE/nylon 66 (Ny66) blend, which depends on the blend composition, was complicated due to immiscibility whereas the ion-beam-irradiated HDPE/Ny66 blend showed a more systematic behavior. Also, the compatibility effect of ion-beam-treated HDPE was investigated in the blend of HDPE/ Ny66. In the ion-beam-irradiated HDPE/blends, a significant decrease in the domain size of the dispersed phase was observed. Theoretical models were used to estimate the interfacial tension of HDPE/Ny66 blends. The calculated interfacial tension of an ion-beam-treated HDPE/Ny66 blend was less than that of a nontreated HDPE/Ny66 blend, indicating a greater interaction between the ion-beam-treated HDPE and the Ny66 phases. In addition, the mechanical properties of the ion-beam-treated HDPE/Ny66 blend showed a positive deviation from the rule of mixture. Finally, an explanation of the compatibilizing effect of ion-beam-treated HDPE is presented.

Blends of Immiscible Polystyrene/Polyamide 6 via Successive In‐Situ Polymerizations

“…Third, the most interesting thing is that phase inversion occurs at very low PS content, which is an unusual phenomenon impossible for conventional polymer pairs by mechanical blending. [12][13][14][15] Experimental Part Materials CL was obtained from Nanjing Oriental Chemical Company (Commercial Grade, China). 2,2 0 -Azoisobutyronitrile (AIBN), sodium caprolactamate (NaCL), and 2,4-toluene diisocyanate (TDI) (analytical grade) were all purchased from Shanghai Chemical Reagents Company and used without further treatment.…”

Reactive Compatibilized Polymer-Polymer Interface : Amorphous and Semi-crystalline Polymer Pair

“…9,10 The parameters affecting the rates of diffusion and reaction are the temperature and the initial concentration of the functional groups on the polymer surface. Figure 1 shows the variation of the fracture toughness with bonding time.…”

Interfacial adhesion between semi-crystalline polymers (polypropylene and nylon-6): in situ compatibilized interface and fracture mechanism

“…As the irradiation time is increased, the molecular weight decreases slightly, but not seriously [16]. This is a contrast to the polyethylene case [25]; hydrogen atoms at the α position of polypropylene can be easily abstracted leading to chain scission rather than the recombination which occurs more often in polyethylene.…”

“…The ion-beam assisted reaction system was composed of a conventional ion-beam system, a reactive gas feeding system, and a stand for the polymer samples or a powder-mixing bowl ( Fig. 1) [25]. The working pressure in the reaction chamber was kept under 10 −4 torr.…”

“…The fracture toughness was measured using an asymmetric double cantilever beam (ADCB) test because it has been shown to be a reliable test for the fracture toughness of a polymer interface [25,27]. Details of this test are shown in Fig.…”