Breathable polymeric materials based on high‐density polyethylene prepared by environmental crazing

ABSTRACT

This work addresses the preparation of breathable materials based on high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) and characterization of their performance. The sustainable HDPE mesoporous materials were prepared by the tensile drawing of the HDPE films in the presence of physically active liquids (PALEs) via the mechanism of environmental intercrystallite crazing (EIC). The prepared mesoporous materials were characterized by the different physicochemical methods such as differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), atomic force microscopy (AFM), low‐temperature nitrogen adsorption (LTNA), and so forth. Water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of the breathable materials can be tailored by varying the tensile strain upon the EIC and is found to be equal to 597–1345 g m⁻² day⁻¹. The breathable HDPE‐based materials are characterized by good mechanical and insulating properties as well as by high water entry pressure (~43–47 bar). Hence, the deformation of HDPE films via the EIC mechanism provides an efficient route for the preparation of mesoporous breathable materials based on the low‐cost commercial polymers, which can be used as waterproof, protective, subroof, gas storage, and packaging materials. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020, 137, 48567.