This paper investigates the use of an aqueous dispersion of polyethylene copolymer with a relatively high content of acrylic acid as a compatibilizer and as an alternative medium to obtain polyethylene CNF nanocomposites. The CNF content was varied from 1 to 90wt% and the appearance, optical, thermal, mechanical and rheological properties, as well the morphology of the films were evaluated. The PE/CNF films are transparent up to 20wt% of NFC indicating a good dispersion of CNF, but a poor distribution, with PE-rich and CNF-rich regions observed by SEM. Improved mechanical properties were achieved, with a 100% and 15,900% increase in the Young's modulus with 1wt% and 90wt% NFC, respectively. The rheological behavior indicated good melt processability. According to these results, aqueous polyolefin dispersions seem to be a promising, easy and relatively fast route for obtaining cellulose/polyolefins nanocomposites with low to high contents of cellulose nanofibrils.
SbstractThe viability of recycling post-industrial packaging waste, compounded from multilayer laminated PET-PE films, for production of polymer blends with good physico-mechanical performance is analyzed. Initially, several PET-PE model-blends were prepared from fresh polymers and were compounded with different formulations, based on design of experiments (DOE). Polymer compatibilizers based on maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) and glycidyl methacrylate (E-GMA) have been used to promote the compatibilization reaction. The physico-mechanical properties of the model-blends were evaluated by response surface methodology (RSM). Finally, the post-industrial waste was compounded with the same concentration of compatibilizers in the previous set of model-blends. The DOE methodology showed to be a useful tool for assessing the recycling, since it helped to produce recycled materials with acceptable physico-mechanical properties. Between both compatibilizers studied, PE-g-MA showed to be the best additive for compatibilization due to the presence of a polyamide component in the waste, which undergoes a kinetically favorable compatibilization reaction.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.