Self-reinforcement of high-density polyethylene

Abstract

Along with conventionally extruded rods, self-reinforced polyethylene rods were prepared using a conventional extruder equipped with a converging extrusion die. From the work it is apparent that self-reinforced rods showed elastic modulus nearly 4 times higher than that of conventionally extruded rods. Scanning electron microscopy revealed that the morphology of the self-reinforced samples was fibrous and that the fibrils were extended straight along the extrusion direction. Moreover, the self-reinforced samples melted at higher temperature than the samples which had been prepared conventionally.