Environmental weathering of (linear low-density polyethylene)/(soya powder) blends compatibilized with polyethylene-grafted maleic anhydride

Blends containing various percentages of linear low-density polyethylene and soya powder were prepared. The effects of polyethylene-graft-(maleic anhydride) (PE-g-MA) as a compatibilizer and soya powder content on the natural weathering were investigated. Blends without PE-g-MA were used as controls. The soya powder was varied from 5 to 40 wt% of the blends, and PE-g-MA was used at 50 wt% based on soya powder content. The samples were exposed to natural weathering in the northern part of Malaysia for 1 year. Higher decreases in tensile strength and elongation at break of the controls were observed as compared to those of the PE-g-MA compatibilized blends after the natural weathering. The Young's modulus of both controls and compatibilized blends increased over the environmental exposure period. A control sample lost 8.8% of its original weight after 1 year of weathering, whereas a compatibilized blend lost 7.5 wt% during the same period. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 2012. (c) 2012 Society of Plastics Engineers