Enhanced crystallisation in branched polyethylenes when blended with linear polyethylene

The enhanced crystallisation behaviour exhibited by branched polyethylene (BPE) when blended with a commercial linear polyethylene (LPE) was studied. Two commercially available BPE were examined, one was a low-density polyethylene type and the other a 1-octene copolymer produced by Dow using its constrained geometry catalysts technology. Low LPE content blends were investigated. Enhanced crystallisation in BPE, as revealed by shifts in crystallisation temperature peaks obtained using differential scanning calorimetry, was found after blends were fast cooled from the melt. A 3% LPE content blend in both types of mixtures was found as the blend composition where enhancement of BPE crystallisation was largest. When both BPE are compared the larger shift in T, was found for the more crystalline BPE material. (C) 2001 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.