Assessing crystalline lamellae orientation impact on the properties of semi-crystalline polymer-clay nanocomposites

Semi-crystalline polymer-clay nanocomposite properties are often considered only by their clay dispersion state. The purpose of this work is to highlight texture effects on semi crystalline polymer-clay properties. Maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene nanocomposites with two different processing techniques (Blown Extrusion and Compression) were studied. The processing was shown to induce different crystalline lamellae orientation in the films but with no significant changes in the crystalline lamellae long period, degree of crystallinity, clay particle orientation morphology and dispersion. The impact of these specific textures on the nanocomposites barrier and tensile properties were reported.