Nowadays polyethylene is one of the polymers produced in the greatest volume and the amount of generated waste high‐density polyethylene (w‐HDPE) is significant as well. Valorization and recycling of w‐HDPE can be realized by blending with different types of polymers and/or elastomers for example, ethylene‐vinyl acetate (EVA). For the purpose of boosting of interfacial interactions between these two polymers experimental olefin‐maleic‐anhydride based additives have been incorporated into the blends after optimization of the processing temperature. Impact and tensile tests have been carried out in our research work besides microscopy measurements and investigation of the effects of additive structure by FT‐IR and rheology. At higher processing temperature (220°C) both tensile properties and Charpy impact strength were increased, latter one improved by 245% measured at 5°C while elongation at break enhanced by 182% with incorporation of some experimental additives compared to the neat 70/30 w‐HDPE/EVA. Changes in the hydrocarbon molecular chains of experimentally compatibilized blends were observed based on FT‐IR results and rheological measurements. It can be concluded that one of the most basic notions of sustainability, the 4R's (reduce, recycle, reuse, recover) has been satisfied in a successful way.
Over the past 50 years demand for plastics drastically increased worldwide resulting in plastic wastes causing serious environmental problems. The main market sector of European plastics industry is the packaging industry most of which are polyolefins and poly(ethylene-terephtalate). In the EU, 29.1 million tonnes of plastic waste were collected in 2018, of which 32.5% was recycled, 42.6% was recovered for energy, and 24.9% was landfilled (Plastics-the Facts, 2019). Although landfilling of collected waste in the EU is steadily declining, there is still too much unused waste. Polymer blends based on waste resources can solve the issues of recycling. The main purpose of the research was to produce polymer blends from waste based PET that have appropriate mechanical properties and rheological behaviour as well in order to find application areas where product requirements are not strict. Blends containing waste based PET were extrusion moulded and calenderd producing extrusion strings and films. Rheological and tensile properties of three types of PET/engineering thermoplastic blends (PET/PC, PET/PA and PET/ABS) were studied. Miscibility of components of the blends is limited leading to weak mechanical properties such as low tensile strength and/or elongation at break. Due to that phenomenon compatibilizing additives are also required. As compatibilizing additives olefin-maleic-anhydride copolymer based additives have been used in our experiments. Structure of additives differed from each other both in ratio and length of carbon chains of compounds linked to maleic-anhydride groups. Blends have been studied with PET content ranging from 10 to 90%. As an outstanding result improving of mechanical properties was achieved, for example almost 40% growth was observed in elongation at break of extruded 80/20 PET/PA blends in the presence of 0.2% compatibilizing additive compared to the sample without additive, meanwhile its strength has also improved. Graphic Abstract
Nowadays, beneficial management of plastic and rubber waste from different sources and environmentally friendly ways of recycling is becoming an increasing challenge. A possible solution for that issue could be to produce plastic composites usually consisting of heterogeneous phases. That fact and the interface between phases, and characteristics of components all play important roles in development of properties of end-product. By using a compatibilizing additive a chemical bridge can be created between the plastic composite components requiring reactive functional groups. In case of carbon nanotube containing composites particular attention must be paid to the formation of suitable interactions between the dispersed material and the matrix that can be carried out by impregnating the surface of carbon nanotubes with dispersed additive in hydrocarbon solution or in aqueous surfactant containing composition. We have applied O/W typed emulsion techniques for carbon nanotube impregnation, bearing in mind the importance of environmental regulations for the conditions of treatment. Compatibilizing additives have been classified by various analytical measurements (total acid number, saponification value measurement, size exclusion chromatography, FT-IR measurements, adhesive strength, conditions of emulsification) to identify the possible structure of the additive and to study interactions with the reinforcing material.
Waste high-density polyethylene (w-HDPE)/ acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene (ABS)/ground tire rubber (GTR) have been melt blended by two-roll milling. Ternary blends of w-HDPE/ABS/GTR have been observed to be incompatible in the composition range studied which revealed in the deteriorated mechanical properties. Two main types of compatibilizers such as an experimental olefin-maleic anhydride copolymer based one synthesized by the authors and a commercial maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MA-g-PP) have been chosen for enhancing compatibility between the components ergo the mechanical properties. For characterizing tensile and impact properties of the blends mechanical tests have been carried out besides the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The most advantageous result in industrial practice can be that the experimental additive allows to apply higher GTR concentration ergo gives the opportunity to recycle higher level of GTR.
Waste high-density polyethylene (w-HDPE)/ acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene (ABS)/ground tire rubber (GTR) have been melt blended by two-roll milling. Ternary blends of w-HDPE/ABS/GTR have been observed to be incompatible in the composition range studied which revealed in the deteriorated mechanical properties. Two main types of compatibilizers such as an olefin-maleic anhydride copolymer based one synthesized by the authors and a commercial maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MA-g-PP) have been chosen for enhancing compatibility between the components ergo the mechanical properties. For characterizing tensile and impact properties of the blends mechanical tests have been carried out besides the scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The most advantageous result in industrial practice can be that the experimental additive allows to apply higher GTR concentration ergo gives the opportunity to recycle higher level of GTR.
Polymer blending has been a simple and efficient way for designing and controlling the performance of polymeric materials using easily available types. Both polycarbonate and polyamide have excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability but their disadvantages such as limited chemical or water resistance can be eliminate by tailoring them. Main difficulties in processing of PC/PA blends are the poor compatibility and high moisture adsorption capacity of the two raw materials complicating processing and also deteriorating mechanical properties of the products. Compatibilizing additives such as olefin-maleic-anhydride copolymer based compounds used in the experimental work can help to overcome the abovementioned difficulties. To determine the processing conditions of the raw materials several drying temperatures have been tested and thermal degradation has been examined by FT-IR spectroscopy. Experimental compatibilizing additives based on an olefin-maleic-anhydride copolymer have been investigated to enhance mechanical properties of the blends prepared by extrusion moulding. Mechanical, rheological, SEM and FT-IR measurements have been performed and at least one additive has been found to be efficient in improving selected properties.
Nowadays polyethylene is one of the polymers produced in the greatest volume, therefore, parallelly the amount of generated waste polyethylene (w-HDPE) significant as well. Valorisation and recycling of w-HDPE can be realized by blending with different types of polymers and/or elastomers in order to result in thermoplastic elastomer end-product for example. One potential candidate can be ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) nevertheless interfacial interaction between between w-HDPE and EVA is inadequate reflected in deterioration of mechanical properties of the blend in spite of the fact that they possess favourable mechanical properties themselves and they may complement each other. For the purpose of boosting of interfacial interactions between these two polymers experimental olefin-maleic-anhydride based additives have been incorporated in the blends after optimization of the processing temperature. Impact and tensile tests have been carried out in our research work besides microscopy measurements and investigation of the effects of additive structure by FT-IR and rheology.
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