INVESTIGATION OF THE USAGE OF HBN IN THE WORKABILITY OF LINEAR LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

Abstract

Improving the properties of plastics has always been a curious research topic in the scientific and industrial field, aiming to replace engineering plastics with cost-effective plastics for engineering applications. Looking at the past, there are studies to improve the mechanical properties of the plastics used and to add various properties. The usage areas of BN, which has an important potential today, such as high thermal conductivity, electrical insulation, chemical stability and easy workability, have found a place in many industrial applications as a result of recent researches. In addition to these, it is known that it is used as a process aid in the polymer industry. The main task of the process aids is to reduce the shear stress of the melt by covering the die mouth during extrusion due to low surface tensions. In this way, it reduces the pressure in the mold mouth and eliminates surface defects called melt fractures. In addition to this feature, the use of hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) as an additive in the preparation of masterbacths and the production of a new material and its effect on the processability of lineer low densty polyethylene were investigated. Accordingly, in this study, a masterbatch form was prepared with hBN-LLDPE, and then analytical and spectroscopic characterization of this material was carried out. As a result of the analyzes made, it was seen that hBN is a good processing aid and the masterbatch formed with 5% additive exhibited the best mechanical properties.