Development of drawn polypropylene-based blends and composites

Abstract We developed highly oriented polypropylene tapes with solid-state drawing, and studied the effect of additives—two grades of talc, low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and an amorphous poly-alpha-olefin (APAO). The PP compounds were prepared in a co-rotating twin-screw extruder, and sheet films were extruded. The specimens cut out from the sheet films were drawn in a tensile testing machine, and the drawing temperature of 130 °C was maintained by the heating chamber of the tensile testing machine. A draw ratio of λ=10 was set. We investigated the work of drawing and prepared DSC and tensile tests. Both types of talc acted as strong nucleating agents and increased the tensile strength and modulus of the tapes. APAO reduced the crystalline melting enthalpy only to a small extent. Both APAO and LDPE reduced the tensile strength and modulus and increased the strain at break of the tapes.