Synthesis and characterizations of a novel composite films composed of polyethylene/oxide minerals

In this study, a new composite film consisting of polyethylene (PE)/oxide minerals (bentonite, silica, and diatomite) was successfully synthesized. Polymer modification was carried out by melting method. Coating of oxide minerals with PE has shown important results for size control, stabilization and increasing strength. Benzoyl chloride was used as a modifying material in the mechanism. According to the mechanism, it increases the interactions between the mineral and polyethylene through adsorption of the polymer backbone by ion pairing. The resulting composite materials were characterized using advanced analytical techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR), Derivative thermogravimetry (DTG) and Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA). The morphological structures of the composites were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM and FTIR analyses showed that bentonite, silica, and diatomite were modified with PE using an extruder device. At the same time, mechanical test results showed that the tensile strength of films containing 5% oxide mineral is higher than that of pure polyethylene film. In addition, the homogeneous appearance of the surfaces of the films has changed from porous to brittle appearance with the increase in the oxide mineral ratio in composite films. It was found that with the increase in the percentage of minerals in composite films using modified oxide minerals, porous and brittle structures do not form much on the film surfaces, and the interaction of the mineral with the polymer matrix increases. The study had important results in terms of emphasizing the cost-effectiveness of the modification of different minerals with PE, the suitability of production by smelting method and the improvement of mechanical properties. In addition, it is important to obtain different composite derivatives for use in the industrial field.