The Structure and Nonisothermal Crystallization Kinetics of HDPE Nanocomposites Filled with Mg ₂ Al–LDH

High-density polyethylene (HDPE)/Mg ₂ Al–layered double hydroxide (Mg ₂ Al–LDH) nanocomposites with an ethylene-acrylic acid random copolymer (EAA)/Mg ₂ Al–LDH master batch were prepared by melt-mixing. The structure of the nanocomposites was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The results demonstrate the formation of the nanocomposites with exfoliated/intercalated layered double hydroxides well distributed in the HDPE matrix. The nonisothermal crystallization behaviour of master batch-based HDPE nanocomposites was studied by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The crystallization behaviour of HDPE/Mg ₂ Al–LDH nanocomposites was well defined by the Avrami analysis and Jeziorny method, as well as the combined Avrami and Ozawa analysis (MO's model). The results reveal that a very small amount of Mg ₂ Al–LDH (1%) accelerates the crystallization process in comparison with the neat HDPE, and the high crystallization rate is attributed to the nucleating effect of the exfoliated nanoparticles. Overall, the exfoliated Mg ₂ Al–LDH particles act as the nucleating agent, and therefore distinctly change the type of nucleation, growth and geometry of HDPE crystals.