Effect of organoclay on the morphology and mechanical properties of LDPE/PA11 blends

Adding small amounts of organomodified clay represents an innovative approach to tailor the morphology and properties of immiscible polymer blends. In a recent paper we have found the unexpected formation of a co-continuous morphology in a blend of high-density polyethylene and polyamide 6 filled with organoclay. This results in enhanced mechanical properties as a consequence of the synergism among the reinforcement effect of the filler and the dual phase interconnectivity characteristic of co-continuity. In this work we focus on this topic by investigating the morphology and mechanical properties of blends constituted by low-density polyethylene and polyamide 11 filled with small amounts of organomodified clay. We show that the filler promotes a finely interpenetrated microstructure, which results in enhanced mechanical properties due to an efficient stress transfer among the phases.