Reinforcing thermoplastic polymers with nanotubes or nanoplatelets to form nanocomposites is a way to increase the usage of polymeric materials in engineering applications by improving their mechanical properties. The contribution presents the results of research from basic processing and mechanical properties of nanocomposites. Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE) was used as a matrix for experiments. The material LDPE was modified by Halloysite nanotubes (HNT) with a mass share of 2, 4, 6 wt% of the matrix. Nanocomposites were filled with 5 wt% Polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (PE-graft-MA) as a compatibilizer. The specimens were prepared by injection molding and their selected mechanical properties were tested by static tensile test, Charpy impact test and Shore hardness test.
The objective of this study is to determine selected properties of thin-walled rotationally moulded composite parts. Linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) filled with quartz flour (QF, 5–35 wt.%) was tested. High-density polyethylene functionalized with maleic anhydride (HDPE-g-MA) was used as a compatibility agent. Polymer samples were prepared with and without the compatibility agent (2 wt.% in relation to the QF content). The study investigated the effect of QF content and HDPE-g-MA on the properties of rotationally moulded parts, including their melt flow rate (MFR), thermal properties (DSC and TGA), thermomechanical properties (VST), mechanical and physical properties, microstructure, and geometry. Results showed that the properties of LLDPE/QF with HDPE-g-MA were significantly higher than those of LLDPE/QF without HDPE-g-MA. It was also found that the compatibility agent improved the composite material’s thermal stability. This improvement was attributed to interactions occurring between the composite material components due to the use of the compatibility agent. In addition to that, microscopic examination demonstrated that the use of HDPE-g-MA improved miscibility of the composite material components. The composite samples containing HDPE-g-MA had better surface geometry.
The study reports the results of investigation of basic processing and thermal properties of low-density polyethylene modified with two types of natural filler: wheat bran and pumpkin seed hulls, their content ranging from 5% to 15% relative to the matrix. In addition, physical properties of the produced granulates are determined, i.e. the relationship between their density and the applied contents of the tested fillers. Furthermore, the study reports the results concerning longitudinal shrinkage, abrasion resistance and cold water absorption of injection molded tensile specimens.
In recent decades, standard polymer blends for different applications have been more and more often replaced by blends containing raw materials. The use of natural materials as filler in thermoplastics brings both economic and environmental benefits. The use of a given vegetable filler depends on the geographic location and natural occurrence of the vegetables in a given geographic region. In Poland, for instance, the pumpkin is one of such vegetables. They are used for producing oil which is pressed from pumpkin seeds. Pumpkin seeds are then collected, dried and purified to produce waste material in hull form. Particles of ground pumpkin seed hulls with varying sizes and weight-in-weight concentration ranging from 0% to 20% relative to the matrix are used as filler in low-density polyethylene. Pumpkin seed hulls are ground and sieved. Four fractions of hulls with different particle sizes are produced: <0.2 mm, 0.2-0.4 mm, 0.4-0.6 mm, 0.6-0.8 mm. The paper reports the results of investigation of the mechanical properties, i.e., strength properties determined by static tensile testing and hardness measurement, of injection molds produced at constant processing parameters. In addition, the cross sections of the obtained products are subjected to microscopic examination. Relationships are determined between tensile modulus, maximum tensile stress, tensile stress at yield, maximum tensile strain, tensile strain at yield as well as Shore hardness and weigh-in-weight concentration of the powdered natural filler and its grain sizes. Finally, relevant conclusions are drawn.
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