scholarly journals Fabrication and Nanomechanical Characterization of Thermoplastic Biocomposites Based on Chemically Treated Lignocellulosic Biomass for Surface Engineering Applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 8 ◽  
Author(s):  
Muhammad Sulaiman ◽  
Tanveer Iqbal ◽  
Saima Yasin ◽  
Hamayoun Mahmood ◽  
Ahmad Shakeel

Diverse applications of polymeric materials have prompted development of eco-friendly, efficient, and economical materials. These characteristics can be obtained by incorporating appropriate fillers in the polymeric matrix. The objective of this work is to investigate impact of aqueous glycerol (Gly) treated rice husk (RH) on surface mechanical properties of produced biocomposites. RH was treated with aqueous Gly (75 wt%) and compounded with low density polyethylene (LDPE) at different loadings (10, 20, and 30 wt%). The resulting mixture was thermally pressed in molds to fabricate biocomposites. Surface mechanical properties such as elastic modulus, hardness, creep rate, and plasticity of biocomposites reinforced with untreated and treated RH were investigated using nanoindenter. Experimental values depicted that hardness (H) and elastic modulus (Es) of treated biocomposites were higher than untreated ones. Treated biocomposites showed the noticeable improvement in elastic modulus by 24 and 37% compared to untreated biocomposites at 20 wt% loading and neat LDPE, respectively. Reductions in the creep rate by 20 and 14% were observed for untreated and treated biocomposites, respectively, in comparison to the neat LDPE. H/E ratio was increased by 23 and 18% for treated and untreated biocomposites, respectively, as compared to virgin LDPE. Furthermore, mechanical and structural properties of untreated and treated RH are reported based on nanoindentation response and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) techniques The study indicated that aqueous glycerol pretreatment can partially strip off non-cellulosic constituents from lignocellulose matrix to generate cellulose-rich pulp for engineered composite applications.

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-311 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yousef Ahmad Mubarak ◽  
Raghda Talal Abdulsamad

This work was intended to provide an understanding of the effect of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) on the mechanical properties of low-density polyethylene (LDPE). The impact resistance and the tensile properties of low-density LDPE/MCC composites were investigated. The weight fraction of MCC was varied at (0, 0.5, 1, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, and 30 wt%). The obtained blends were then used to prepare the required tensile and impact testing samples by hot compression molding technique. It has been found that MCC has a strong influence on the mechanical properties of LDPE. At a low MCC weight fraction, there was a little improvement in the ultimate strength, fracture stress, and elongation at break, but at a high MCC weight fraction, the tensile properties were deteriorated and reduced significantly. The addition of 1 wt% MCC to LDPE enhanced the mentioned properties by 10, 25, and 6%, respectively. While at 30 wt% MCC, these properties were lowered by 36, 25, and 96%. The elastic modulus of LDPE composites was improved on all MCC weight fractions used in the study, at 20 wt% MCC, an increase in the elastic modulus by 12 folds was achieved. On the other hand and compared with the impact strength of pure LDPE, the addition of MCC particles enhanced the impact strength, the highest value obtained was for LDPE composites filled with 10 wt% MCC where the impact strength enhanced by two folds.


2018 ◽  
Vol 919 ◽  
pp. 144-151 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ľudmila Dulebová ◽  
Karolina Glogowska ◽  
Jaroslav Hájek ◽  
Jakub Fic

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.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2 (110) ◽  
pp. 49-58
Author(s):  
O.H. Sabr ◽  
N.H. Al-Mutairi ◽  
A.Y. Layla

Purpose: Low density polyethylene is commonly used polymer in the industry because of its unique structure and excellent overall performance. LDPE, is relatively low mechanical properties and thermal stability can sometimes limit its application in industry. Therefore, the development of particulate reinforced polymer composites is one of the highly promising methodologies in the area of next generation engineering products. Design/methodology/approach: Nano and Micro composite from low density polyethylene LDPE reinforced with different weight fraction of carbon black particles (CB) (2, 4 and 8)% prepared by first dispersion Nano and Micro carbon black particles CB in solvent and then mixing manually with low density polyethylene LDPE pellet and blended by twin-screw extruder, the current research study the mechanical properties (tensile strength, elastic modulus,and hardness), FTIR, DSC,and thermal conductivity of prepared nano and micro composites using two methodes and the morphological properties of nano-micro composites. Findings: The tensile strength of the LDPE/CB nano and micro composites improved at 2% and 4%, respectively, and decreasing at 8%, addition of carbon black nanoparticles led to increase the tensile strength of pure low-density polyethylene from 13.536 MPa to 19.71 MPa, and then dropping to 11.03 MPa at 8% percent,while the elastic modulus of LDPE/ CB nano and miro composites shows an improvement with all percentages of CB. The results show that the mechanical properties were improved by the addition carbon black nanoparticles more than addition micro- carbon black . FTIR show that physical interaction between LDPE and carbon black. The thermal conductivity improvement from 0.33 w/m.k for pur LDPE to 0.62234 w/m.k at 2% CB microparticle content and the reduced to 0.18645 w/m.k and 0.34063 w/m.k at (4 and 8)% micro-CB respectively , The thermal conductivity of LDPE-CB nano-composites is low in general than that the LDPE-CB microcomposite. DSC result show improvement in crystallization temperature Tc, melting temperature and degree of crystallization with addition nano and micro carbon black. Morever, SEM images revealed to uniform distribution and good bonding between LDPE and CB at low percentages and the precence of some agglomeration at high CB content.Research limitations/implications: This research studied the characteristics of both nano and micro composite materials prepared by two steps: mixing CB particles with solvent and then prepared by twin extruder which can be used packaging material, but the main limitation was the uniform distribution of nano and micro CB particles within the LDPE matrix. In a further study, prepare a blend from LDPE with other materials and improve the degradation of the blend that used in packaging application. Originality/value: LDPE with nanocomposites are of great interest because of their thermal stability, increased mechanical strength, stiffness, and low gas permeability, among other properties that have made them ideal for applications in the packaging and automotive industries. LDPE reinforcements nano-sized carbon black can have better mechanical and thermal properties than micron, resulting in less material being needed for a given application at a lower cost.


2017 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 184798041771592 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bei Su ◽  
Ying-Guo Zhou ◽  
Hai-Hong Wu

The mechanical blending of polypropylene and low-density polyethylene is an economical and simple method for producing new polymeric materials for specific applications. However, the reduction in mechanical properties of the blend is one of its main shortcomings. In this study, a filler masterbatch including nano-silicon dioxide, compatibilizer, lubricant agent, and antioxidant agent was prepared, and polypropylene–low-density polyethylene composite parts with different content of filler masterbatch were fabricated and tested for mechanical properties at two tensile test speeds. Also, to investigate the underlying mechanism of the mechanical properties improvement, the tested samples were carefully analyzed and compared and further characterized by scanning electron microscopy and differential scanning calorimetry. The results indicate that the mechanical properties, including tensile strength, moduli, and elongation, can be all drastically improved simultaneously with the addition of the filler masterbatch. The results also suggest that the compatibility of the two phases increases with the increase in the filler masterbatch, and the crystal size decreases and distribution uniforms owing to the addition of the filler masterbatch. Furthermore, it was also found that there is a close relationship between the mechanical properties and morphological structures, which are improved by the existence of the filler masterbatch.


Polymers ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (11) ◽  
pp. 1821
Author(s):  
Ildar I. Salakhov ◽  
Nadim M. Shaidullin ◽  
Anatoly E. Chalykh ◽  
Mikhail A. Matsko ◽  
Alexey V. Shapagin ◽  
...  

Low-temperature properties of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE), and their blends were studied. The analyzed low-temperature mechanical properties involve the deformation resistance and impact strength characteristics. HDPE is a bimodal ethylene/1-hexene copolymer; LDPE is a branched ethylene homopolymer containing short-chain branches of different length; LLDPE is a binary ethylene/1-butene copolymer and an ethylene/1-butene/1-hexene terpolymer. The samples of copolymers and their blends were studied by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), 13С NMR spectroscopy, and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) using testing machines equipped with a cryochamber. It is proposed that such parameters as “relative elongation at break at −45 °C” and “Izod impact strength at −40 °C” are used instead of the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature to assess frost resistance properties because these parameters are more sensitive to deformation and impact at subzero temperatures for HDPE. LLDPE is shown to exhibit higher relative elongation at break at −45 °C and Izod impact strength at −20 ÷ 60 °C compared to those of LDPE. LLDPE terpolymer added to HDPE (at a content ≥ 25 wt.%) simultaneously increases flow properties and improves tensile properties of the blend at −45 °C. Changes in low-temperature properties as a function of molecular weight, MWD, crystallinity, and branch content were determined for HDPE, LLDPE, and their blends. The DMA data prove the resulting dependences. The reported findings allow one to understand and predict mechanical properties in the HDPE–LLDPE systems at subzero temperatures.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 3540
Author(s):  
Numfor Linda Bih ◽  
Assia Aboubakar Mahamat ◽  
Jechonias Bidossèssi Hounkpè ◽  
Peter Azikiwe Onwualu ◽  
Emmanuel E. Boakye

The quantity of polymer waste in our communities is increasing significantly. It is therefore necessary to consider reuse or recycling waste to avoid an increase in the risk to public health. This project is aimed at using pulverized low-density polyethylene (LDPE) waste as a source to reinforce and improve compressive strength, and to reduce the water absorption of geopolymer ceramics (GC). Clay:LDPE composition consisting of 5%, 10%, and 15% LDPE was geopolymerized with an NaOH/Na2SiO3 solution and cured at 30 °C and 50 °C. Characterization of the geopolymer samples was carried out using XRF and XRD. The microstructure was analyzed by SEM and chemical bonding by FTIR. The SEM micrographs showed LDPE particle pull-out on the geopolymer ceramics’ fracture surface. The result showed that the compressive strength increases with the addition of pulverized polymer waste compared to the controlled without LDPE addition. Water absorption decreased with an increase in LDPE addition in the geopolymer ceramics composite.


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