Creating layers of concentrated inorganic particles by interdiffusion of polyethylenes in microlayers

Interdiffusion of a polymer pair in microlayers was exploited to increase the concentration of inorganic particles in one of the components. When microlayers of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE) were taken into the melt, greater mobility of linear LLDPE chains compared to branched LDPE chains caused the layer boundary to move in the direction of the more slowly diffusing chains in a manner similar to the Kirkendall effect in metals. This resulted in substantial shrinkage of the LLDPE layers and corresponding thickening of the LDPE layers. Adding a particulate in the LLDPE did not impede the process of interdiffusion in the melt, and the resultant shrinkage served to increase the particle concentration. For example, resistivity of initially nonconductive LLDPE layers containing nickel platelets decreased by 6 orders of magnitude into the semiconductor range after shrinkage concentrated the particles. The concentrating effect was also demonstrated with TiO₂ particles and talc platelets. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 73: 2877–2885, 1999