Macromolecules 2000, 33, 551-561
551
Morphology of Blends of Linear and Short-Chain Branched Polyethylenes in the Solid State by Small-Angle Neutron and X-ray Scattering, Differential Scanning Calorimetry, and Transmission Electron Microscopy G. D. Wignall,*,† R. G. Alamo,*,‡ J. D. Londono,†,§ L. Mandelkern,| M. H. Kim,‡,⊥ J. S. Lin,† and G. M. Brown# Solid State Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory,3 Oak Ridge, Tennessee 37831-6393; Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University and Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32310; Institute of Molecular Biophysics, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida 32306; Baytown Polymers Center, EXXON Chemical Company, Baytown, Texas 77522 Received July 30, 1999; Revised Manuscript Received October 19, 1999
ABSTRACT: Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and smallangle neutron and X-ray scattering (SANS and SAXS, respectively) have been used to investigate the solid-state morphology of blends of linear (high-density) and model short-chain branched (linear-lowdensity) polyethylenes (HDPE/LLDPE). SANS indicates that the mixtures are homogeneous in the melt for all compositions when the ethyl branch content in the copolymer is low (i.e.,
