Optimization in the reprocessing of recycled polyamide 6 reinforced with 30 wt% Glass Fiber (PA6/GF30) using mixture design

Abstract

In the present study, polyamide 6 reinforced with 30 wt% Glass fiber (PA6/GF30) used in automotive industry was reprocessed via injection molding. The virgin and recycled PA6/GF30 samples were characterized by chemical, rheological, mechanical, and morphological properties as a function of the number of processing cycles. After each reprocessing cycle, a decrement in mechanical properties in tensile, bending, and impact strength was revealed for different combination of cycle number (N0 [for the virgin PA6/GF30], N1 [for the first recycled PA6/GF30], N2 [for the second recycled PA6/GF30], and N3 [third recycled PA6/GF30 sample]) in the composite mixture. A simplex‐centroid mixture design (SCMD) was used to evaluate the effect of combining Ni (i=0,1,2) on the mechanical properties of composite samples for optimization. Graphical comparison of experimental results using regression models showed a high degree of correlation. Results revealed that the ternary N0N1N2 blends composite made up of 67.97 wt% N0, 23.13 wt% N1, and 8.89 wt% N2 exhibited the best mechanical properties. Furthermore, a good correlation between the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations and tensile test results was observed. Hence, the new reprocessed formulation presents a cost‐effective alternative of virgin PA6/GF30 for different engineering applications.

Characterization of Posidonia oceanica Fibers High-Density Polyethylene Composites: Reinforcing Potential and Effect of Coupling Agent

“…Compared to thermoset polymers, thermoplastic polymers are commonly used matrices in natural fibers' composites because of their advantages, including cost-effective processing, availability, and better flexibility and processing temperatures, generally below 200 • C, which prevent the natural fibers from thermal degradation [4,21,25]. Moreover, the growing focus on environmental concerns has increased interest among researchers in thermoplastic-based composites, thanks to their potential for recycling and incineration [21,26,27]. Recently, many authors have utilized a variety of thermoplastic polymers, such as polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and polyamide 6 (PA6), as matrices to develop novel natural fibers-reinforced composite materials [4,21].…”