Effects of aragonite calcium carbonate on barrier and mechanical properties of a three-layer co-extruded blown low-density polyethylene film

Abstract

The study is aimed to find whether the location of the calcium carbonate added in a three-layer co-extruded blown film has an impact on film’s barrier and mechanical properties. Aragonite calcium carbonate-added low-density polyethylene films were produced at various weight ratios and layer structure through a three-layer co-extrusion blown film line. The scanning electron microscopy micrographs were obtained to understand the dispersion on the calcium carbonate and the morphology related to the film barrier and mechanical properties. The study found that adding calcium carbonate into the center layer of the three-layer co-extruded blown film significantly enhanced the barrier properties. The oxygen and water vapor barrier of the blown film improved 50% and 40%, respectively, in the presence of 18.38 wt% calcium carbonate. Adding calcium carbonate into the center layer does not change the tensile strength of the blown film to a great extent when the filler concentration is between 9.12 wt% to 18.38 wt%. However, the addition of the calcium carbonate reduced the film’s impact strength by 50 to 70% in the presence of 9.17 wt% to 31.54 wt% calcium carbonate for both center layer reinforced and blended blown film.