Improving the Mechanical Properties of Thermoplastic Polyolefins Using Recycled Low-Density Polyethylene and Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

Thermoplastic polyolefin (TPO) has gained considerable attention because of having a combination of rubbery and thermoplastic properties and ease of production. Their excellent weather resistance, low density, and relatively low cost make them attractive materials for the automotive, electrical, footwear industries and membranes for water treatment. Their main shortcomings are poor mechanical properties, especially at low temperatures because of the opposing trends of stiffness and toughness. In this paper, recycled low density polyethylene (RLDPE) was integrated with ethylene-propylene-diene rubber (EPDM) incorporating very low content of carboxylated multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs-COOH) to improve the mechanical properties of the produced TPO nanocomposite. TPO has been prepared through the combination of 40, 50, and 60 wt.% RLDPE and 40, 50, and 60 wt.% EBDM. The improved TPO composition was then reinforced with 0.1, 0.3, and 0.5 wt.% MWCNTs-COOH to produce TPO nanocomposites. The compounding of TPO and its nanocomposites was done by melt mixing followed by heat pressing. Mechanical and thermal behaviors of the TPO nanocomposites were investigated. Tensile tests showed that the TOP (60-40) is the best improved concentration; the storage modulus of nanocomposites was enhanced by increasing MWCNTs-COOH concentration. In addition, modulus, stress/strain and toughness of TPO were enhanced by adding 0.5 wt.% MWCNTs-COOH. Thus, MWCNTs-COOH reinforced TPO due to not only its large aspect ratios but also due to its interaction with both the TOP matrix and the combatibilizer. The results of microstructural investigations of the prepared TPO nanocomposite using FTIR and TGA confirmed the interaction between MWCNTs-COOH and TPO matrix

Polymer Composites Based on Polycarbonate (PC) Applied to Additive Manufacturing Using Melted and Extruded Manufacturing (MEM) Technology

“…The thermograms are characterized by the appearance of an endothermic peak at about 144 °C, which can be attributed to the glass transition temperature (Tg) of the PC phase ( Figure 11 ). The obtained result is confirmed by data obtained by other scientists [ 49 , 52 , 53 ]. Maintaining the same Tg values for all tested systems during the first and second heating ( Table 6 ) indicates that neither the content nor the modification of the filler surface affects the mixability [ 50 ].…”

“…The introduced additives increased the thermal stability of the material for composites, except for PC/0.5%CN. This indicates a positive interfacial interaction between the filler and the PC matrix [ 49 ]. Such a phenomenon proves the appropriate dispersion of additives in the polymer matrix, which is also confirmed by the analysis of mechanical properties and SEM.…”

Mixed Plastic Wastes as a Promise Path to Green Roads

“…Mixed plastic wastes comprised from a mixture of (PET, PE, PP, and EPDM rubber) were collected from accumulation points of industrial wastes in Egypt and were manually segregated [14]. Polymer wastes used in this work were selected based on our previous published work [15,16]. Recycled LDPE in crushed form was obtained from the Egyptian Saudi Company for Plastic Products; Industrial Zone, 10th of Ramadan, Egypt.…”

“…%) was used in the modification of asphalt binder. This specific mixture was found to be the optimum percentage for enhanced mechanical properties of its TPO composite [19]. Therefore, this optimum mixture was used through all samples of asphalt binder modification.…”

Multi-walled Carbon Nanotubes Synthesis from Ethanol and 2-Propanol by Chemical Vapor Deposition

“…MWCNTs XRD data, which demonstrates sharp and intense diffraction around 2 = 26.8, which might be due to graphite's C (001) reflection. The (101) and (004) planes of the nanotubes construction are responsible for the maxima around 42.3° and 54.640°, correspondingly[9][10][11][12].…”