The Role of Polyethylene Wax on the Thermal Conductivity of Transparent Ultradrawn Polyethylene Films

Xinglong Pan, Albert H.P.J. Schenning, Lihua Shen, Cees W.M. Bastiaansen (Corresponding author)

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

19 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Transparency and thermal conductivity of ultradrawn, ultrahigh-molecular-weight polyethylene films containing different contents of low-molecular-weight polyethylene wax (PEwax) are explored from experimental and theoretical viewpoints. It is shown that the addition of PEwax decreases light scattering in all directions, resulting from a reduction of defects while having little effect on crystallinity or chain orientation of ultradrawn films. In general, upon the addition of PEwax, the thermal conductivity of ultradrawn films increases with the highest conductivity being 47 (W m-1 K-1) and subsequently decreases at higher concentrations. The thermal conductivity also depends on draw ratio and number-average molecular weight (Mn) of the films. A model is presented which correlates the thermal conductivity of the films with the draw ratio and Mn, enabling explanation of the experimental results. Hence, the thermal conductivity of ultradrawn polyethylene films can be predicted as a function of Mn and draw ratio.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)5599-5603
Number of pages5
JournalMacromolecules
Volume53
Issue number13
Early online date15 Jun 2020
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Jul 2020

Funding

We thank Dr. Tom A. P. Engels, Ir. Simon J. A. Houben, and Ir. Rob C. P. Verpaalen for the helpful discussions, and A. B. P. Bus for practical support. This work was funded by the China Scholarship Council (CSC201706450053).

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