Performance Enhancement of COC-Modified LLDPE Films: Optimization of Stiffness, Tear Resistance, and Barrier through Plasma Surface Modification

Year : 2026 | Volume : 14 | Issue : 02 | Page : 128 143
    By

    Hetal Shah,

  • Purvi Dave,

  • Sudhir Kumar Nema,

  1. Assistant Professor, Department of Plastic Technology, L.D College of Engineering, Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India
  2. Scientific Officer-E, Facilitation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technologies (FCIPT), Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India
  3. Scientific Officer-H, Facilitation Centre for Industrial Plasma Technologies (FCIPT), Institute for Plasma Research, Bhat, Gandhinagar, Gujarat, India

Abstract

This study explores the development of high-performance packaging materials by blending commodity Linear Low-Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) with engineering cyclic olefin copolymer (COC) as a performance modifier. To leverage the processability of LLDPE alongside the structural rigidity of COC, blends were prepared at various weight ratios (95/05, 90/10, 85/15, and 80/20) using twin-screw melt extrusion, followed by the production of films and sheets via blown film extrusion and compression molding. The addition of COC significantly improved the mechanical properties of the LLDPE matrix; specifically, the tensile modulus increased three-fold with 10 wt% COC and five-fold with 20 wt% loading. While the inherent gas barrier properties of the films—measured through the Oxygen Transmission Rate (OTR) and Water Vapor Transmission Rate (WVTR)—improved with the addition of high-density COC domains, further optimization was achieved through surface modification. Thin organosilicon coatings were deposited onto 5 and 10 wt% COC blend films using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) with hexamethyldisiloxane (HMDSO) and oxygen precursors. These PECVD coatings led to a substantial reduction in both the OTR and WVTR. As compared to uncoated L90C10 film, about 34% reduction in OTR and 43% reduction in WVTR is observed in SiOx coated L90C10 film. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) confirmed the partial compatibility and interfacial adhesion between the COC phase and LLDPE matrix, providing a structural explanation for the enhanced mechanical and barrier properties. The findings indicate that LLDPE/COC blends, especially when enhanced by plasma surface treatments, represent a high-performance solution for the food, pharmaceutical, and industrial packaging applications.

Keywords: LLDPE, cyclic olefin copolymer (COC), polymer blend, mechanical, SiOx coating

[This article belongs to Journal of Polymer & Composites ]

How to cite this article:
Hetal Shah, Purvi Dave, Sudhir Kumar Nema. Performance Enhancement of COC-Modified LLDPE Films: Optimization of Stiffness, Tear Resistance, and Barrier through Plasma Surface Modification. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):128-143.
How to cite this URL:
Hetal Shah, Purvi Dave, Sudhir Kumar Nema. Performance Enhancement of COC-Modified LLDPE Films: Optimization of Stiffness, Tear Resistance, and Barrier through Plasma Surface Modification. Journal of Polymer & Composites. 2026; 14(02):128-143. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jopc/article=2026/view=239210


Browse Figures

References

  1. Utracki LA. Polymer blends handbook. Kluwer Academic Publishers; 2002. 1442 p.
  2. Shonaike GO, Simon GP. Polymer Blends and Alloys. Marcel Dakker Inc.; 1999.
  3. Nwabunma D, Kyu T. POLYOLEFIN BLENDS. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken, New Jersey; 2008.
  4. Hay JN, Zhou XQ. The effect of mixing on the properties of polyethylene blends. Polymer (Guildf). 1993;34(11):2282–8. doi:10.1016/0032-3861(93)90809-O
  5. Dorigato A, Pegoretti A, Fambri L, Lonardi C, Šlouf M, Kolařik J. Linear low density polyethylene/cycloolefin copolymer blends. Express Polym Lett. 2011;5(1):23–37. doi:10.3144/expresspolymlett.2011.4
  6. Kolařík J, Pegoretti A, Fambri L, Penati A. Non-linear long-term tensile creep of poly(propylene)/cycloolefin copolymer blends with fibrous structure. Macromol Mater Eng. 2003;288(8):629–41. doi:10.1002/mame.200300005
  7. Kolar J. Phase Morphology of PP / COC Blends. J Appl Polym Sci. 2004;91:253–259.
  8. Kaufman, J J Falcetta HS. Introduction to polymer science and technology: An SPE text‐book. Wiley‐Interscience, New York; 1978.
  9. JESTER R. Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Enhances Polyolefin Blends for Film Packaging. Plastics Technology. 2011 Apr.
  10. Starck P. Dynamic mechanical thermal analysis on Ziegler-Natta and metallocene type ethylene copolymers. Eur Polym J. 1997;33:339–348.
  11. Gopanna A, Thomas SP, Rajan KP, Rajan R, Rainosalo E, Zavašnik J, et al. Investigation of mechanical, dynamic mechanical, rheological and morphological properties of blends based on polypropylene (PP) and cyclic olefin copolymer (COC). Eur Polym J. 2018;108:439–51. doi:10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2018.09.030
  12. Durmus A, Alanalp MB, Aydin S. Investigation of morphological, rheological, and mechanical properties of cyclic olefin copolymer/poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate) blend films. Journal of Plastic Film & Sheeting. 2018;34(2):140–59.
  13. Doshev, D. Tomova, A. Wutzler, P. Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Reactive and Non-Reactive COC/EOC Blends. Journal of Polymer Engineering. 2011;25(5):375–392.
  14. Lamnawar Khalid and Vion-Loisel F and Maazouz Abderrahim. Rheological, Morphological, and Heat Seal Properties of Linear Low Density Polyethylene and Cyclo Olefine Copolymer (LLDPE/COC) Blends. J Appl Polym Sci. 2010;116:2015–22. doi:10.1002/app.31804
  15. Khonakdar HA, Jafari SH, Hesabi MN. Miscibility analysis, viscoelastic properties and morphology of cyclic olefin copolymer/polyolefin elastomer (COC/POE) blends. Compos B Eng. 2015;69:111–9. doi:10.1016/j.compositesb.2014.09.034
  16. Khonakdar HA, Wagenknecht U, Jafari SH, Hässler R, Eslami H. Dynamic mechanical properties and morphology of polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate copolymer blends. Advances in Polymer Technology. 2004;23(4):307–15. doi:10.1002/adv.20019
  17. Fambri L, Kolarik J, Pasqualini E, Penati A, Pegoretti A. Rheological study on polypropylene/cydoolefin copolymer blends. Macromol Symp. 2008;263(1):114–20. doi:10.1002/masy.200850314
  18. Jan Kolarˇı´k, Alessandro Pegoretti, Luca Fambri, Amabile Penati. High-Density Polyethylene/Cycloolefin Copolymer Blends, Part 2: Nonlinear Tensile Creep. Polym Eng Sci. 2006;46:1363–73. doi:10.1002/pen.20580
  19. Taglialatela Scafati, L. Boragno, S. Losio, S. Limbo, M. Castellano, M. C. Sacchi, et al. Modulation of Barrier Properties of Monolayer Films from Blends of Polyethylene with Ethylene-co-Norbornene. Journal ofAppliedPolymer Science. 2011;121:3020–3027. doi:10.1002/app.33901
  20. Alwaan IM. Effect of cyclo-olefin copolymer loading on kinetics, thermodynamics and model of linear low density polyethylene crystallinity. Progress in Rubber, Plastics and Recycling Technology. 2017;34(1):55–74.
  21. Shah HC, Nema SK. The Effect Of Cyclic Olefin Copolymer Loading On Linear Low Density Polyethylene Blends : Characterization By Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy And X-Ray Diffraction. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH. 2019;8(08):1019–25.
  22. Shah HC, Nema SK. Investigation of Thermal and Melt rheological properties of Linear Low Density Polyethylene / Cyclic olefin copolymer blends. International Journal for Research in Engineering Application & Management. 2019;(11):259–63.
  23. Sabu Thomas, Yves Grohens, P Jyotishkumar. Characterization of Polymer Blends: Miscibility, Morphology and Interfaces. Wiley VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA; 2014. doi:10.1002/9783527645602
  24. Moly KA, Bhagawan SS, Groeninckx G, Thomas S. Correlation between the morphology and dynamic mechanical properties of ethylene vinyl acetate/linear low-density polyethylene blends: Effects of the blend ratio and compatibilization. J Appl Polym Sci. 2006;100(6):4526–38. doi:10.1002/app.22466
  25. Morris BA. THE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY OF FLEXIBLE PACKAGING Multilayer Films from Resin and Process to End Use. Elsevier Inc.; 2017.
  26. Pegoretti A., Kola!ík J., Fambri L. PA. Polypropylene/cycloolefin copolymer blends: effects of fibrous phase structure on tensile mechanical properties. Polymer (Guildf). 2003;44(11):3381–7.
  27. Kolařík J, Kruliš Z, Šlouf M, Fambri L. High-density polyethylene/cycloolefin copolymer blends. Part 1: Phase structure, dynamic mechanical, tensile, and impact properties. Polym Eng Sci. 2005;45(6):817–26. doi:10.1002/pen.20337
  28. Yingao Zhang CJHLAXDLJHMJ. Melt-reprocessable linear low-density polyethylene/cyclic olefin copolymer blends with low dielectric constant and low thermal expansion. J Appl Polym Sci. 2024;141(13).
  29. Ren Y, Shi Y, Yao X, Tang Y, Liu LZ. Different dependence of tear strength on film orientation of LLDPE made with different co-monomer. Polymers (Basel). 2019;11(3). doi:10.3390/polym11030434
  30. Sanchez-Valdes et al. Physical and mechanical properties of linear low density polyethylene/cycloolefin copolymer/layered silicate nanocomposite. Polym Compos. 2015. doi:10.1002/pc.23514
  31. Ou CF, Hsu MC. Preparation and characterization of cyclo olefin copolymer (COC)/silica nanoparticle composites by solution blending. Journal of Polymer Research. 2007;14(5):373–8. doi:10.1007/s10965-007-9119-5
  32. Dave P, Chandwani N, Nema SK, Mukherji S. Enhancement in gas diffusion barrier properties of polyethylene by plasma deposited SiOx films for food packaging applications. In: Nayak SK, Mohanty S, editors. Trends and Applications in Advanced Polymeric Materials. Scrivener Publishing LLC; 2018. p. 255–74.
Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 14
Issue 02
Received 04/03/2026
Accepted 16/03/2026
Published 28/03/2026
Publication Time 24 Days
73

Login


My IP

PlumX Metrics