Composites of allyl glycidyl ether modified polyethylene and cellulose

Linear medium density polyethylene (LMDPE) was functionalized with allyl glycidyl ether (AGE) in an internal laboratory mixer in the presence of peroxide. AGE is a bifunctional monomer, which forms unstable and energetically rich macroradicals. Upon increasing the peroxide content chain scission and grafting yield were favored. The degree of functionalization was determined by means of a calibration function for Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Grafting AGE onto LMDPE led to a small loss of crystallinity, as evidenced by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and X-ray diffractometry analyses. Composites of LMDPE or functionalized LMDPE-AGE and cellulose were prepared in the mixer with filler contents ranging from 20 to 50 wt%. Composites of AGE functionalized LMDPE and filler content higher than 30 wt% presented tensile properties superior to that observed for composites with unmodified LMDPE. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) on the composites fracture surface evidenced good interfacial adhesion between LMDPE-AGE and cellulose fibers.