The effect of metallocene-catalyzed linear low-density polyethylene on the physicomechanical properties of its film blends with low-density polyethylene

Films comprising a metallocene-catalyzed linear low-density polyethylene (mLLDPE) blended with either of two different low-density polyethylene (LDPE) materials were prepared. The physicomechanical, optical and melt flow properties of the films were measured. A novel adaptation of conventional radar plots was used to process the acquired data to identify the level at which mLLDPE should be incorporated in either of the LDPEs to produce optimal overall properties. In general, the addition of mLLDPE to LDPE improved most of the properties considered and the LDPE material having the higher polydispersity produced blends having superior properties. A level of mLLDPE of between 20–30% (w/w) was required in order to achieve optimization. C 2005 Springer Science + Business Media, Inc.