Large-scale fabrication of linear low density polyethylene/layered double hydroxides composite films with enhanced heat retention, thermal, mechanical, optical and water vapor barrier properties

•LDH with basal spacing of 4.07 nm was synthesized by high-energy ball milling.•LLDPE composite films with homogeneous LDH dispersion were fabricated.•The properties of LLDPE/LDH composite films were improved.•LLDPE/LDH composite films show superior heat retention property.

Novel LDH intercalated with organic aliphatic long-chain anion was large-scale synthesized innovatively by high-energy ball milling in one pot. The linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE)/layered double hydroxides (LDH) composite films with enhanced heat retention, thermal, mechanical, optical and water vapor barrier properties were fabricated by melt blending and blowing process. FT IR, XRD, SEM results show that LDH particles were dispersed uniformly in the LLDPE composite films. Particularly, LLDPE composite film with 1% LDH exhibited the optimal performance among all the composite films with a 60.36% enhancement in the water vapor barrier property and a 45.73 °C increase in the temperature of maximum mass loss rate compared with pure LLDPE film. Furthermore, the improved infrared absorbance (1180–914 cm−1) of LLDPE/LDH films revealed the significant enhancement of heat retention. Therefore, this study prompts the application of LLDPE/LDH films as agricultural films with superior heat retention.

Graphical abstractThe fabrication process of LLDPE/LDH composite films.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide