HDPE ROSIN BLENDS - I-MORPHOLOGY, THERMAL AND DYNAMIC-MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR/

Morphological and thermal studies on high density polyethylene (HDPE) / glycerol ester of partially hydrogenated rosin (ester gum) blends re veal phase separation. Both thermal and dynamic-mechanical tests showe d no shift of the HDPE glass transition temperature while the HDPE a, transition appeared. The presence of an additional transition was also noticed as the second component increased in blends; this was attribu ted to a rosin component. The peak ascribed to this transition became broader in blends enriched with oligomer; it moved toward lower temper atures due to the dissolution of low molecular weight HDPE. The meltin g temperature and crystallinity of HDPE varied slightly with the amoun t of amorphous oligomeric component in the blends.