Processing of composites of chopped PE fibre-reinforced PE matrix

This is a preliminary investigation of the effect of compounding on the mechanical properties of chopped PE fibre-reinforced PE composites, aiming in general at determining the processing conditions which avoid fibre relaxation. It is found that compounding in a Brabender results in fibre melting and recrystallization, whereby its extended chain crystallinity is lost. The property improvement relative to the original LLDPE matrix is attributed to a partial formation of HDPE crystallinity.