Crosslinking of polypropylene–polyethylene blends by peroxide and the effect of pentaerythritol tetrallyl ether

Abstract Crosslinking of polypropylene–polyethylene (PP‐PE) blends involving 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, and 90% of PP with dicumylperoxide (DCP) or tert‐butyl perbenzoate (TBPB) and in the presence of coagent pentaerythritol tetrallyl ether (PETA) was investigated at 180°C. It was found that at lower concentrations of peroxide alone (e.g., 2.5% of DCP) only PE component is crosslinked in all compositions of PP‐PE blends. In the crosslinking of PP‐PE 50:50 with 4% of TBPB, insoluble gel was obtained, which contained 13% PP and 87% PE. If 2% PETA was also used, the portion of PP in gel increased to 39%; the total yield of gel in PP‐PE blend increased from 50 to 70%. The lower crosslinking efficiency of coagent PETA in the PP‐PE blends compared with PP alone is associated with better solubility of the coagent in the PE phase in contrast to the PP phase. The coagent does not particularly raise the crosslinking efficiency of peroxide in PE, but increases it in the PP phase. A remarkable decrease in melting temperature and temperature of crystallization of both polymer components depending on peroxide concentration was found by calorimetric measurements.