Blends of ethylenic polymers with improved modulus and melt strength and articles fabricated from these blends

The blend of claim I wherein

• A) Component A has a melt index, I2, of less than about 60 g/10 min and is a heterogeneous or homogenous linear ethylene homopolymer, or a heterogeneous or homogenous linear interpolymer of ethylene with at least one C3-C20 α-olefin;
• and
• B) Component B is selected from the group consisting of LDPE, EVA, and EAA;
• and
• wherein said blend has;
• 1) a melt index, I2, of about 0.1 to about 10 g/10 min;
• 2) a flexural modulus of ≧120,000 psi;
• 3) a melt strength of ≧7 cN;
• 4) a melt extensibility of ≧50 mm/sec;
• 5) a UST greater than about 118° C.;
• and
• 6) FMS is ≧1.25.

A blend which comprises;

• A) a heterogeneous or homogenous linear ethylene homopolymer or interpolymer;
• B) a branched homopolymer or interpolymer;
• wherein said blend has;
• 1) a melt index, I2, of about 0.05 to about 20 g/10 min;
• 2) a flexural modulus of ≦30,000 psi;
• 3) a melt strength of ≧2 cN;
• 4) a melt extensibility of ≧25 mm/sec;
• and
• 5) wherein said melt strength of said blend meets the following relationship;
• Melt strength ≧FMS*[(f*A)+((1−f)*B)];
• where
• A=3.3814*(I2)−0.6476 and B=16.882*(I2)−0.6564;
• where
• I2 is the measured melt index of the blend;
• f is the weight fraction of the linear polyethylene in the blend and FMS is ≧1.1.