According to certain embodiments, a material of the filler may be selected from the group consisting of a microfiller, a highly dispersed nanofiller, and a combination thereof. The micro filler may be selected from the group consisting of clay, glass, carbon, cellulose, and a combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the material of the micro filler may be glass. The micro filler may be present as glass roving, glass chopped strand, glass milled fiber, or a combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, a material of the highly dispersed nanofiller may be clay. In particular, the material of the highly dispersed nanofiller may be selected from the group consisting of inorganic silicate, alumino silicate, pellet-like metal oxide and hydroxide, anionic and cationic layered metal oxide and hydroxide, montmorillonite (MMT), kaolinite, dickite, halloysite, and nacrite, nontronite, beidellite, saponite, illite, biotite, lepidolite, phlogopite, clintonite, sepiolite, zinnwaldite, phengite, mica, layered metal oxide, layered metal hydroxide, attapulgite (AT), and a combination thereof.

In certain embodiments, the inorganic silicate may be calcium silicate.

The clay may comprise layered and/or pellet-like metal oxide composed of at least one oxygen atom and at least one metal. The layered and/or pellet-like metal oxide may be selected from the group consisting of SiO₂, TiO₂, ZnO, CaO, Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, and a combination thereof.

The filler may be surface-treated with an organosilane. Advantageously, by surface-treating the filler with an organosilane, hydrogen bonding and/or a covalent bond between the filler and the polymerisable linker may be facilitated. On one hand, modification of the filler with an organosilane may render the surface of the filler more hydrophobic, thereby enhancing interaction with the components of the matrix and improving the affinity for the polyolefin comprised in the matrix. Alternatively or additionally, surface treatment with an organosilane may be used to covalently bond the surface-treated filler with the polymeri sable linker. In the event the organosilane is present and linked to the polymerisable linker covalently, a “covalent bridge” may be formed stretching from the filler via the polymerisable linker to the polymer having a moiety grafted thereon, thereby further mechanically enhancing the interface between the filler and the matrix, resulting in a higher toughness.

The organosilane may comprise an active functional group selected from the group consisting of octyl, amine, vinyl, hydroxyl, thiol, and a combination thereof. The organosilane may be selected from the group consisting of aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-aminopropylmethyldiethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-dimethyl)aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-diethyl)aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-dibutyl)aminopropyltrimethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-dimethyl)aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-diethyl)aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-dibutyl)aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-(N-methyl)aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-(N-ethyl)aminopropyltriethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-dimethyl)aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-diethyl)aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-(N,N-dibutyl)aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, γ-(N-methyl)aminopropylmethyldimethoxysilane, and a combination thereof.

According to various embodiments, the organosilane may be present in a weight percentage range of about 0.1 wt % to about 5 wt %, or about 0.2 wt % to about 4 wt %, or about 0.3 wt % to about 3 wt %, or about 0.5 wt % to about 2 wt %, etc., based on the weight of the filler.

In certain embodiments, the polyolefin composite may further comprise a stabilizer selected from the group consisting of an antioxidant, an ultraviolet ray absorber, and a combination thereof. The stabilizer may comprise a hindered phenol, a phosphite, a thioether, a benzophenone, a benzotriazole, and a combination thereof. The antioxidant may be present in a weight percentage range of about 0.01 wt % to about 1.0 wt %, or of about 0.05 wt % to about 0.9 wt %, or of about 0.1 wt % to about 0.8 wt %, or of about 0.2 wt % to about 0.6 wt %, etc., based on the total weight of the polyolefin composite. Such weight percentage ranges advantageously reduce degradation of the polymer composite during processing.

The polyolefin composite may further comprise additives selected from the group consisting of a slipping agent, an antistatic agent, a pigment, and a combination thereof. The pigment may be selected from an inorganic pigment, an organic pigment or a combination thereof.

The polyolefin composite may further comprise a styrene-based polymer. The styrene-based polymer may also be termed as a minor phase polymer resin. The styrene-based polymer may be selected from the group consisting of polystyrene and styrene-acrylonitrile resin, and a combination thereof.

In a second aspect, there is provided a method of providing a polyolefin composite comprising a matrix comprising a polyolefin, a polymer having a moiety grafted thereon, and a polymerisable linker, wherein the moiety grafted on the polymer is covalently bonded to the polymerisable linker via a chemical bond, and a filler disposed within the matrix. The method may comprise (i) mixing a polyolefin, an anhydride-grafted polymer, a polymerisable resin and a filler; (ii) melting the mixture of step (i); and (iii) kneading the mixture of step (ii). Embodiments and advantages described for the polyolefin composite of the first aspect can be analogously valid for the method of the second aspect, and vice versa. As the various embodiments and advantages have already been described above and examples demonstrated herein, they shall not be iterated for brevity where possible.

The mixing step i) of the method, in which a polyolefin, an anhydride-grafted polymer, a polymerisable resin and a filler are mixed to form a mixture, may comprise mixing the polyolefin, the anhydride-grafted polymer, the polymerisable resin and the filler in a mixer or a drum tumbler.

The melting and kneading steps ii) and iii) mentioned above, in which the mixture of polyolefin, the anhydride-grafted polymer, the polymerisable resin and the filler are melted to form a melted mixture, and kneading of the melted mixture respectively, may comprise physically agitating the mixture in a mixer, at least one roller, a twin extruder, or a combination thereof. Advantageously, melting the mixture of step (i) may comprise formation of the chemical bond between the anhydride that is grafted on the polymer and the polymerisable resin, optionally at a temperature of about 120° C. to about 250° C., or optionally at a temperature of about 120° C. to about 190° C., or optionally at a temperature of about 190° C. to about 250° C., etc. In case the polymerisable resin is added after the melting step, the components may not have sufficient activating energy to engage into a reaction. Accordingly, in those cases no covalent bond may be formed.

Embodiments wherein the polymerisable resin may comprise an epoxide, melting the mixture of step (i) may comprise formation of an ester bond between the anhydride that is grafted on the polymer and the epoxide of the polymerisable resin.

In a third aspect, there is provided a polyolefin composite provided by the method as described above. Embodiments and advantages described for the polyolefin composite of the first aspect and the method of the second aspect can be analogously valid for the polyolefin composite of the third aspect, and vice versa. As the various embodiments and advantages have already been described above and examples demonstrated herein, they shall not be iterated for brevity.