Effects of maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene on rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties of ultra high molecular weight polyethylene/poly(ethylene glycol) blends

ABSTRACT Ultra‐high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has gained considerable fame due to its excellent wear and mechanical properties, though the inferior processability has restricted its further extensive applications. In this study, a combination of UHMWPE and poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG) was considered based on the recent reports, and aiming to further exploit the potential of PEG that acts as processing aid, and also to obtain greater enhanced processability along with other properties, the effects of incorporating maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE) was thoroughly investigated. Rheological tests revealed a further significant reduction in melt viscosity of UHMWPE/PEG blends after MAPE introduced, showing a potential of better processability, while the flexural strength and toughness of UHMWPE blends experienced a satisfying increase without any obvious compromises in other mechanical properties. A slight improvement of thermal stability in UHMWPE ternary blends along with an increase of vicat softening temperature were characterized by thermal tests, while the crystallinity of UHMWPE was diminished after the introduction of MAPE. Morphology analysis indicated that better dispersion and decreased size of PEG particles were achieved in UHMWPE matrix when MAPE was incorporated, which confirmed the improved interfacial interactions and other reinforcements obtained in UHMWPE/PEG/MAPE blends. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2015 , 132 , 42701.