Oxygen-barrier films based on low-density polyethylene/ ethylene vinyl alcohol/ polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride compatibilizer

In this research, high oxygen-barrier films were organized based on low-density polyethylene (LDPE)/ ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH)/ polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride (LDPE-g-MA) compatibilizer. The effects of 10–30 wt. % EVOH and 0–10 wt. % LDPE-g-MA loadings on the properties of final films were evaluated. The morphology of specimens was observed by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Oxygen transfer rate (OTR) results revealed that the addition of EVOH up to 30 wt. % to neat LDPE could significantly decrease oxygen permeability. The LDPE-g-MA which increased the permeability needed to be fine-tuned its amount based on the EVOH loading in different samples. The experimental results revealed that the addition of 30 wt. % EVOH to the LDPE matrix without adding LDPE-g-MA gave the best oxygen barrier properties. Elastic modulus and tensile strength increased with incorporation of EVOH and LDPE-g-MA into the polyethylene matrix. On the other hand, elongation-at-break decreased with the addition of EVOH and increased with the introduction of compatibilizer to the samples. Incorporation of EVOH and LDPE-g-MA into the LDPE matrix and increasing their amounts led to higher storage modulus and zero shear rate viscosity, but lowered the frequency value at the intersection point of storage modulus (G') and loss modulus (G''). The only exception was that in the samples without compatibilizer, the increase in the EVOH content resulted in a lower zero shear rate viscosity and a higher frequency value at the intersection point of G' and G''.