The effect of low density polyethylene (LDPE) concentrations on the
mechanical, electrical and thermal characteristics of HAF/CR/LDPE
composites has been studied. The elastic modulus values obtained from the
stress – strain curves verify the requirements of the standard linear solid model.
The first cycle hysteresis area FAH and the elastic recovery (ER) were found to
be dependent on the (LDPE) content. The d.c. conductivity was found to
decrease with increasing (LDPE) concentrations and showed a marked drop at
the crystalline melting temperature of (LDPE) phase, 393 K, followed by an
increase above this temperature with average activation energy 0.79 eV. The
crystalline melting temperature obtained from the conductivity _ temperature
relationship in agreement with that obtained by using differential scanning
calorimetry (DSC). The temperature dependence of d.c. conductivity above 393
K was in favour of the variable range hopping (VRH) model.