Chemical and physical modifications of polyethylene containing nanostructures

Abstract

The polyethylene is an interesting polymer with a good mechanical strength, ductility, biocompatibility and chemical inertia. It founds several applications in many fields, such as chemistry, engineering, bio-medicine and micro-electronics. The polyethylene chemical and physical properties can be modified embedding different nanostructures in its bulk. Carbon nanotubes, metallic oxides, coloured pigments and other species can be inserted at different concentrations in the polymer material during the preparation phase of thin films and sheets. Mechanical, optical, thermal and chemical properties can be modified significantly depending on the filler concentration. The absorption coefficient at different radiations can be controlled by the amount of doping structure. In the visible region, for example, the high transparency of pure polyethylene can be strongly reduced by low concentrations of carbon nanotubes. The colour, the mechanical resistance, the wet ability of the polyethylene and other parameters can be changed by the doping species in order to prepare special devices useful for many applications.