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Abstract
Change in crystallization morphology of polypropylene (PP) on blending with high density polyethylene (HDPE), and on incorporation of cross-linking agent, trimethyl propane triacrylate (TMPTA), and nucleating agent, aluminium dibenzoate (DBS), was studied using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarizing light microscopy (PLM), and small angle light scattering (SALS). In all, three blend systems: PP-HDPE, PP-HDPE-TMPTA, and PP-HDPE-DBS were developed. Analysis of crystallization exotherm, PLM, and SALS studies indicate that DBS is an effective nucleating agent for PPHDPE system and results in appreciable reduction in spherulite size and increase in percent crystallinity, while on cross-linking there is reduction in both percentage crystallinity and spherulite size. Improvement in overall mechanical properties is observed in all the systems studied. As it is desirable to work with PP having a high degree of crystallinity, low spherulite size and low melt flow index (MFI) for oriented film applications, PP-HDPE-DBS system with a low MFI grade HDPE is found to be most suitable.