Enhancing mechanical and rheological properties of HDPE films through annealing for eco-friendly agricultural applications

A composite of high-density polyethylene/ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (HDPE/UHMWPE) was synthesized via a high-temperature melting process. We specifically examined the effects of annealing on the morphological and rheological properties of the composite. Using scanning electron microscopy and advanced rotational rheometry, we determined that annealing notably alters the composite’s microstructure, with a reduction in pronounced features post-treatment. Rheologically, UHMWPE content significantly enhanced mechanical properties, particularly in storage modulus (G′), loss modulus (G″), and complex viscosity (|η*|), which aligned with scaling law principles. Our findings highlight a distinct improvement in mechanical properties post-annealing, underscoring the potential of UHMWPE in enhancing polymer composite performance. The scaling laws relating G′, G″, and |η*| with UHMWPE were identified as follows: (1) pre-c e: G′ ∼ c 0.2, g″ ∼ c 0.07, |η*| ～ c0.07 and (2) post-c e: G′ ∼ c 1.20, g″ ∼ c 0.6, |η*| ∼ c 0.64, with a forward shift in c e noted after annealing. The addition of UHMWPE significantly enhanced the system’s properties, particularly after annealing. This study offers crucial insights into optimizing HDPE plastic films for enhanced durability and sustainability, ideally suiting them for eco-friendly agricultural uses.