ABSTRACT
Polyethylene is an electrically insulating material which accumulates static electricity. The electrostatic charging of polyethylene can be prevented by adding conductive additives. One of these additives is zinc oxide (ZnO) which could only effectively reduce the resistivity of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) when added up to at least 20% in volume as the present study indicated. Since the mechanical properties were lowered at this high filler level, ZnO was modified for better dispersion in LLDPE by treating with aminopropyltriethoxysilane or polyethylene glycol 4000. However, mechanical and electrical properties were not sufficiently improved for modified ZnO/LLDPE composites than that of pristine ZnO/ LLDPE composites. The composites were statically dissipating, white in color, and they emit light at 411, 425, 488–523 nm when irradiated at 375 nm. This property makes them as a new material which is white under visible light and blue–green under ultraviolet light.
