Abstract
Previous studies in this journal reported a two-part investigation on carbon black (CB) dispersions in LDPE films. In PART01, trimodal CB mixtures were evaluated using a Design of Experiments (DOE) to assess colorimetric and rheological properties, containing small (S) and medium (M) particles showed higher Tinting Strength (TS) with lower viscosity due to synergistic interactions. In PART02, dispersion of blend F18 was optimized during twin-screw extrusion by evaluating the Specific Mechanical Energy (SME), and the best performance was obtained at 600 rpm and 10 kg/h (0.29 kWh/kg), defined as F18-P03. In PART03, this formulation was filled with micro- (D50: 2.5 μm) or nano-CaCO3 (D50: 40 nm) at 10 and 20 wt% to reduce cost and modify mechanical properties. Although CaCO3 reduced TS, increased Filter Pressure Value (FPV) and viscosity. Nanoparticle at 10 wt% showed the best balance: Young’s modulus increased 18%, while tensile strength and deformation decreased about 8%.
Keywords:
calcium carbonate; carbon black; specific mechanical energy; trimodal particle size distribution
1. Introduction
Polymer properties can be tailored through the principle of combined action, in which multiphase materials incorporate contributions from each constituent phase, resulting in a balanced combination of properties. In such systems, the phases must be chemically distinct and separated by an interface[1]. One common strategy to achieve this behavior is the incorporation of fillers into polymer matrices[2]. Among them, Carbon Black (CB)[3,4] and Calcium Carbonate (CaCO3)[5,6] have been widely used to improve mechanical properties under tensile and impact loading, modify optical properties, and reduce the overall cost of polymer products. Particle blending is frequently employed to promote synergistic interactions between different particle sizes while minimizing viscosity increases through bimodal or trimodal packing structures[7]. In addition to combining different carbon black grades, a second filler such as a mineral additive, particularly nanoparticles, can be introduced into the formulation[5]. Due to stronger interfacial interactions with the polymer matrix, nanometric fillers often provide enhanced performance compared with their micrometric counterparts. Reinforcing elements at larger scales may contain structural imperfections; therefore, increasing attention has been directed toward nanoscale reinforcements to improve structural efficiency[8].
Mineral fillers are inorganic additives widely used to reduce costs and modify polymer properties, including viscosity, impact resistance and fatigue behavior, while improving dimensional stability and shrinkage control[9,10]. Among them, CaCO3 stands out as one of the most widely used fillers due to its low cost, versatility and compatibility with modern polymer applications[11]. Naturally occurring as calcite, the most industrially relevant crystalline form, it can be classified as natural or precipitated depending on the production process[5,12].
Nanoparticles can be produced through techniques such as reactive precipitation. Although conventional precipitation methods present limitations in particle size control, they remain economically attractive for large-scale production. More recently, High-Gravity Reactive Precipitation (HGRP) has enabled improved morphological control and narrower particle size distributions for CaCO3 nanoparticles, addressing increasing industrial demands[13].
The use of particles with different sizes is commonly adopted to improve packing efficiency. Early studies on colloidal suspensions demonstrated that particle size distribution directly influences viscosity, since broader distributions increase the maximum packing fraction (φm), allowing lower viscosity at the same pigment concentration[14]. Smaller particles can occupy the interstitial spaces between larger ones, improving packing efficiency and reducing viscosity.
This principle has also been applied to polymer composites. For instance, BaTiO3-filled epoxy thermosets showed changes in dielectric behavior depending on particle size distribution, while alumina-filled silicone rubber systems exhibited improved mechanical and thermal performance when bimodal distributions were used, resulting in higher thermal conductivity and tensile strength[14]. Solid fillers also influence the viscoelastic behavior of polymers, particularly in systems containing carbon black. Parameters such as particle morphology, surface activity and filler loading strongly affect rheological behavior and electrical conductivity stability, highlighting the importance of understanding the internal structure of polymer composites[15].
Chuayjuljit et al. [16] evaluated the effects of CB and micrometric CaCO3 particle size and loading on the curing and mechanical behavior of vulcanized natural rubber. The results indicated that decreasing CB particle size increased Mooney viscosity and reduced curing and vulcanization times. CB also reduced tan δmax and increased the storage modulus (G’), whereas CaCO3 had little influence on tan δmax, storage modulus, or glass transition temperature. These results suggest that CaCO3 can reduce formulation cost without significantly affecting the dynamic mechanical properties primarily governed by CB. Fillers may also influence polymer crystallization by affecting nucleation and crystallinity, increasing the onset crystallization temperature and reducing processing cycle times during injection molding[17].
Nanometric particles further increase interfacial area and surface energy, strengthening interactions between components. As a result, polymer nanocomposites represent an efficient strategy for modifying polymer properties even at relatively low filler concentrations. In addition to mechanical improvements, nanoparticles may improve surface quality, producing smoother and glossier surfaces than those obtained with micrometric fillers. Calcium carbonate can also function as a pigment, particularly in the paper industry where it provides whiteness, while the final performance largely depends on filler morphology[18,19].
Sahebian et al.[20] investigated the incorporation of nano-CaCO3 (70 nm) into HDPE and reported increased heat capacity, melting enthalpy, crystallinity and dimensional stability in nanocomposites containing 10 wt% filler processed by twin-screw extrusion. However, achieving homogeneous nanoparticle dispersion remains challenging due to their high surface energy, which promotes agglomeration. Strategies such as surface modification and in situ polymerization have been explored to improve dispersion, although melt mixing remains the most practical industrial approach.
Similarly, Chan et al.[8] incorporated nano-CaCO3 (44 nm) into polypropylene using twin-screw extrusion and observed a significant increase in impact resistance, from 55 J/m to 133 J/m at 9.2 wt% filler content. The filler also acted as a nucleating agent, reducing the spherulite size in polypropylene. Regarding particle packing, Aghajan et al. investigated bimodal mixtures of carbon black grades N220 and N550. Maximum packing density was obtained with a 35/65 N220/N550 composition, producing synergistic effects on bulk density, rheological behavior and viscoelastic response in uncured compounds, while improvements in vulcanized materials were associated with enhanced particle packing[14].
Building upon these developments, Barbosa et al.[21] investigated the influence of trimodal carbon black mixtures on the properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE) films, considering both particle size distribution and extrusion processing conditions. Their results demonstrated that combining small and medium-sized particles produces a synergistic effect, leading to higher tinting strength while minimizing the increase in melt viscosity compared with formulations containing a single type of carbon black. Moreover, trimodal particle distributions provided a more balanced combination of color performance and processability. The authors also showed that increasing the specific mechanical energy (SME) during extrusion enhances particle dispersion within the polymer matrix, resulting in improved color intensity and greater system homogeneity[22]. Together, these findings highlight that both particle size distribution engineering and processing parameter control are key factors for optimizing the performance of carbon black–filled polymer systems[23]. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the combined effects of trimodal CB mixtures and extrusion processing parameters on the rheological and colorimetric properties of LDPE films, contributing to a better understanding of how particle size distribution and SME interact to optimize material performance[24].
2. Materials and Methods
2.1 Materials
The CB was identified as BP900 (Small - S), Regal 99I (Medium - M) and BP120 (Large - L), all supplied by Cabot Corp. (USA)[25], and dispersed at 30% loading in LDPE (PB608)[26], with MFI of 30 g/10min (2.16 kg@190 °C) or 65 g/10min (5.00 kg@190 °C) produced by Braskem (Brazil). The nanometric mineral filler used was CaCO3 NPCC-201 (precipitated), from NanoMaterials Technology Pte Ltd (Singapore), purity >94.5%, D50 of 40 nm and fatty-acid surface treatment[27], and microparticulate was Micral 2T (natural), manufactured by Reverté Minerals, purity >98.8%, D50 of 2.5 µm, and fatty-acid surface treatment[28].
2.2 CB Concentrates preparation
Using the best formulations previously defined in PART 01[21]: F18 (25/75/00), the extrusion parameters were varied in PART 02[22] to improve concentrate dispersion in a twin-screw extruder (ZSK 18 Twin Screw Extruder, L/D 48) by adjusting the Specific Mechanical Energy (SME). The best condition was obtained at 600 rpm (N) and 10 kg/h (Q), resulting in an SME of 0.29 kWh/kg, defined as F18-P03. In PART 03, this formulation was compounded with micro- (D50: 2.5 μm) or nano-CaCO3 (D50: 40 nm) at 10 and 20 wt%, resulting in concentrates containing 30 wt% carbon black (CB) and either 10 or 20 wt% CaCO3, depending on the formulation. The screw configuration was based on literature and adapted for L/D ratio[23,29,30].
2.3 Dilution of CB concentrates
For selected analyses, including total transmittance (TT) and optical microscopy (OM), measurements were performed on polymer films prepared by blown film extrusion (thickness of 40 μm and blow-up ratio of 1:3), using a 5 wt% dilution in LDPE (MFI = 2 g/10 min). For evaluation of tensile properties, the concentrates were also diluted to 5% in LDPE (MFI = 2 g/10 min), but processed by cast film extrusion, with a nominal thickness of 1 mm.
2.4 Characterizations
2.4.1 Composition characterization
The CB content was determined by gravimetric analysis after pyrolysis at 600 °C, initially under N2 atmosphere and subsequently in air, according to ASTM D1603[31], as previously reported in PART 01. The CaCO3 content was determined using the same procedure, like Table 1.
2.4.2 Colorimetric and optical properties characterization
Tinting strength (TS) was used to quantitatively evaluate pigment performance relative to a reference system. The samples were prepared by mixing one part of CB concentrate with ten parts of titanium dioxide (1:10), producing a gray shade. Higher gray intensity indicates greater CB TS, while lower intensity reflects reduced pigment performance, like Figure 1 bellow. TS was measured in contrast ratio mode using a Datacolor SF600 spectrophotometer (CIE Lab).
Total transmittance (TT) was measured in film specimens and represents the fraction of incident light transmitted through the sample, accounting for losses due to reflection and absorption. Measurements were performed using a BYK-Gardner spectrophotometer (Haze-Gard Plus), according to ASTM D1003, operating in transmittance mode[32,33].
2.4.3 Thermal analises characterization
To complement the optical analysis, crystallization temperature (Tc) and crystallization enthalpy (ΔHc) were determined to assess polymer crystallinity and its potential influence on light transmittance, measured by DSC 300 Caliris Classic (Netzsch) under N2 atmosphere at a cooling rate of 10 °C/min, according to ASTM D3418[34].
2.4.4 Rheological properties characterization of CB concentrates
The MFI, used as a preliminary indicator of rheological behavior, was determined according to ASTM D1238 (5.00 kg at 190 °C)[35]. Rheological properties were evaluated at low (parallel plates) and high (capillary) shear rates. Complex viscosity (η*) as a function of angular frequency (ω) was measured using an ARES rheometer (Rheometric Scientific) under N2 at 210 °C with 25 mm parallel plates (1 mm gap), over 10-2–102 rad·s-1 at 1% strain (linear viscoelastic region). High-shear behavior was evaluated by capillary rheometry (Instron 4467; L = 24.384 mm, D = 1.270 mm, L/D = 20) at 210 °C and shear rates from 101 to 104 s-1[36].
2.3.5 Dispersion and Microscopy characterization
Dispersion was evaluated using two techniques: a quantitative method based on the FPV and a qualitative analysis by OM, focusing on agglomerates dispersed in the polymer matrix. The FPV assesses pigment dispersion through standardized screen filtration in an extruder, where undispersed particles are retained, leading to pressure variations, according to EN 13900[37], using a 635 mesh (15 μm), at 220 °C, with 200 g of concentrate. Qualitative analysis was performed by OM to evaluate CB microdispersion in film specimens using a Leica DMRXP microscope, images captured by ImagePro software at 400x magnification. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy (HR-SEM) was used to complement the morphological evaluation of microdispersion. Analyses were performed using a JEOL JSM-7800F microscope (Tokyo, Japan), equipped with a field emission gun (Schottky type) and secondary electron detector, operating at 2 keV. An EDS system (Oxford X-Max 80) was also employed. Samples were cryogenically fractured and gold-coated prior to analysis.
2.3.6 Tensile properties evaluation
Tensile tests were performed using a Z100-100 kN equipment from ZwickRoell GmbH & Co. Young's modulus, tensile strength and elongation at break, determined according to ISO 527-2 (5B) using a 50 N, crosshead of 5 mm/min and specimens along the longitudinal direction[38].
3. Results and Discussions
Formulation F18-P03 was processed at 600 rpm (N) and 10 kg/h (Q) (SME = 0.29 kWh/kg). Nano- or micro-CaCO3 was then incorporated, and the results are summarized in Table 1.
The results presented in Table 1 indicate that the CB content remained within the expected range (29.3–30.2%), corresponding to deviations below 3%. This confirms that no significant compositional changes occurred during melt processing, ensuring good reproducibility of the compounding step[31]. Similarly, the CaCO3 content showed deviations below 6% for both micro- and nanoparticulate fillers, indicating adequate control of filler incorporation.
Regarding optical performance, the tinting strength (TS) decreased with the addition of CaCO3, particularly for the nanoparticulate filler at higher loadings. The highest value was observed for the unfilled formulation (F18-P03), while formulations containing nano-CaCO3 showed the most pronounced reduction. This behavior is associated with the refractive index between the mineral filler and the polymer matrix, which becomes more significant with decreasing particle size due to the increased specific surface area[5,39]. In addition, light scattering effects become more pronounced as particle size approaches the wavelength of visible light[40]. As a result, CaCO3 acts as a diluent pigment, reducing color strength, although it remains widely used due to its cost-effectiveness[12], like observade in Figure 2 bellow.
In contrast, filter pressure values (FPV) increased significantly with filler addition, rising from 1.5 bar for F18-P03 to 67 bar for F18-P03-M20. This behavior is consistent with the presence of solid particles acting as flow restrictions, particularly at higher concentrations. The lower impact observed for nanoparticulate CaCO3 suggests improved dispersion and reduced agglomeration, consistent with particle packing theory[14,41], illustred in Figure 3.
The relationship between TT and TS highlights the dual role of CaCO3, can be observed in Figure 4. While TS decreases, TT is also reduced due to increased scattering and physical blocking of light by filler particles, particularly at higher loadings and smaller particle sizes[40]. This behavior was not observed in previous studies, where only CB was used[21,22].
The apparent crystallinity (Xc) was estimated from the crystallization enthalpy obtained by DSC, corrected by the polymer mass fraction in each formulation, according to Equation 1, where ΔHc is the crystallization enthalpy (J.g-1), wPE is the polymer mass fraction, and ΔH°PE is the crystallization enthalpy of 100% crystalline polyethylene (293 J.g-1)[18].
The incorporation of CB and CaCO3 increased Tc from 87.2 °C to approximately 91–92 °C, indicating heterogeneous nucleation promoted by the dispersed particles[17,20]. In contrast, the Xc remained nearly constant among the filled formulations (10.6–12.6%), suggesting a limited effect on the final crystalline fraction of LDPE. Therefore, the marked reduction in transmittance is mainly attributed to light absorption and scattering by CB and CaCO3 particles rather than to significant changes in polymer crystallinity[17,20,42], as observed in Table 2.
The MFI decreased sharply with increasing filler content, from 16.2 g/10 min (F18-P03) to 0.5 g/10 min (F18-P03-M20), reflecting increased viscosity due to filler–matrix interactions and oil absorption[4,5] but the surface treatment reduces this effect[5], like observed in Figure 5.
Rheological analysis confirmed that complex viscosity increased with filler content and was more pronounced for nanoparticulate CaCO3 due to its higher surface area. At low frequencies, viscosity increased by several orders of magnitude, indicating filler network formation[15,43], illustred in Figure 6. This behavior is consistent with percolation theory[44]. The storage (G’) and loss (G”) moduli showed that nanoparticulate CaCO3 enhances filler–matrix interactions, especially at higher loadings, resulting in increased elastic response[13] and this effect can be observed in Figure 6. This is characteristic of nanocomposites with high interfacial area[42].
At high shear rates, viscosity differences decreased but remained dependent on filler type, with nano-CaCO3 exhibiting the highest values. The increased pseudoplastic behavior observed in Figure 7 is confirmed by the lower flow behavior index (n) reported in Table 1, particularly for micro-CaCO3 at higher loadings, indicating stronger particle interactions[36]. Overall, mineral fillers increased composite viscosity relative to the CB-only system, with the greatest effect observed for high nano-CaCO3 contents, consistent with previous reported in PART01[21] and PART02[22].
In Figure 8, the morphological analysis confirmed better dispersion of nano-CaCO3, even at higher concentrations, attributed to higher shear and viscosity during processing[30]. The dispersion was initially evaluated by OM, allowing the identification of agglomerates.
Comparative micrographs of F18-P03 samples with micro and nanoparticulate CaCO3 under 200X magnification using OM.
Complementary HR-SEM provided a more detailed assessment of filler distribution and morphology. As shown in Figure 9, nanoparticulate CaCO3 presents a significantly smaller particle size compared to the microparticulate grade, under the same magnification.
Micrographs of CaCO3: a) NPCC 201 – 40 nm, b) Micral 2T – 2 µm, with 20,000x magnification.
The micrographs also highlight the influence of SME on pigment dispersion. At lower SME (0.09 kWh/kg, Figure 10a), a high number of large agglomerates is observed, but increasing the SME to 0.29 kWh/kg (Figure 10b) reduces agglomerate size, indicating improved dispersion, and results in the most effective dispersion.
Micrographs of carbon black concentrates in polyethylene: a) F18 and b) F18-P03 – SME: 0.29 kWh/kg. With the addition of CaCO3: c) F18-P03-M10, d) F18-P03-M20, e) F18-P03-N10 and f) F18-P03-N20. Magnification 50,000x.
Based on these conditions, the F18-P03 formulation was selected and compounded with 10% and 20% of micro- and nanoparticulate CaCO3, as shown in Figure 10c to Figure 10f. In Figure 10c and d (microparticulate CaCO3), carbon black agglomerates are observed alongside larger and more regular CaCO3 particles, indicating more heterogeneous dispersion. In contrast, Figure 10e and f (nanoparticulate CaCO3) show similar carbon black morphology, but a finer and more homogeneous dispersion of CaCO3 due to its smaller particle size. These morphological differences are reflected in the FPV, where larger agglomerates increase flow resistance, especially at higher filler loadings. This behavior is consistent with the rheological response, as the higher viscosity more pronounced in nanoparticulate systems due to their larger surface area, leads to increased shear stresses. While this improves dispersion by breaking agglomerates, it also raises flow resistance, as observed in both FPV and capillary rheology.
From an optical perspective, improved dispersion enhances light scattering, reducing TT. However, this effect, combined with the refractive index of CaCO3, decreases the optical contrast with carbon black, leading to reduced tinting strength. Overall, these results highlight the strong interdependence between dispersion, rheology, and optical performance.
Although elastic modulus values were comparable within the experimental scatter, the mean values showed a tendency to increase with filler loading, particularly at 20 wt%, as expected for particulate composites[45,46]. Despite the experimental scatter, the mean tensile strength and elongation exhibited an overall downward trend with filler loading, likely reflecting limited interfacial adhesion and stress concentration around the filler particles[19,47], as shown in Figure 11 to 13.
Overall, the results demonstrate that particle size, concentration, and processing conditions govern the balance between optical, rheological, thermal, and mechanical properties in CB/CaCO3-filled LDPE systems.
4. Conclusions
The incorporation of CaCO3 reduced total transmittance (TT) by nearly 50%; however, this improvement was counterbalanced by a ~17% decrease in tinting strength (TS), a significant increase in FPV (>50 bar), and higher viscosity. These effects were more pronounced for nanoparticulate systems, particularly at higher loadings, evidencing the dominant role of surface area and interfacial interactions on processability. Mechanically, fillers increased stiffness (~18% in elastic modulus), but reduced toughness, with decreases of ~8% in tensile strength and ~7% in elongation, indicating limitations in stress transfer and interfacial adhesion.
Among the evaluated systems, F18-P03-N10 provided the most favorable balance, suggesting that moderate nanoparticle loading optimizes dispersion and rheological response without severely compromising mechanical integrity. These findings highlight that achieving an optimal balance between optical performance and processability requires careful control of filler size and concentration. Despite these advances, further understanding is still needed regarding particle-matrix interactions across different length scales, which govern dispersion, rheology, and mechanical performance in such systems.
6. Acknowledgements
The authors extend their gratitude to the Materials Engineering Department (DEMa) of Federal University of São Carlos (UFSCar) and Engineering School of Mackenzie Presbyterian University, as well as ZwickRoell and Netzsch - Analyzing and Testing for their invaluable technical support and collaboration in supplying the equipment utilized in this study and Cromex S/A, for raw material donation. This study was financed in part by the Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - Brasil (CAPES) - Finance Code 001, as well as by CNPq (Process No. 303139/2024-2), to whom the authors are grateful.
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