Marisa C. G. Rocha

Composites of Low-Density Polyethylene and Castor Presscake

Composites of low density polyethylene were prepared by melt mixing in a co-rotating twin screw extruder. Castor presscake, a biodiesel process co-product, was used as filler for the polyethylene composites. Different concentrations of this filler were added to the polymer matrix. Melt flow index and. mechanical properties were measured by following standardized tests. The results showed that the addition of the filler to the polymer matrix provoked an increase on the values of Young Modulus and on the flexural properties. However, the impact strength and the tensile stress values tended to decrease with the increasing of the filler concentration.

Characterization of bentonite clays from Cubati, Paraíba (Northeast of Brazil)

Clays of different composition have been used in the development of polymer nanocomposites. The utilization of bentonite clays of the State of Paraiba, Brazil, has been emphasized mainly due to their availability. However, these bentonite deposits are becoming exhausted after several years of exploitation. Thus, the aim of this work was to characterize bentonite clays recently discovered in the municipality of Cubati, Paraiba. The samples underwent a particle size classification step and were characterized by granulometric analysis by laser diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray diffraction, infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis and cation exchange capacity. The results of particle size distribution showed that the clay samples have similar physical characteristics to bentonite clays of Boa Vista, Paraiba. Results of X-ray diffraction indicated that the mineralogical composition of the samples consisted of montmorillonite, kaolinite and quartz. The characterization of the samples by FTIR confirmed these results. Results of chemical analysis showed that the samples are polycationic bentonite clays and have predominantly different exchangeable cations similar to those seen in South American bentonites.

Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) blends based on Poly(3-Hydroxi-Butyrate) (PHB) and Guar Gum (GG) biodegradable polymers

LDPE blends based on PHB and GG biodegradable polymers were prepared by melt mixing in a twin screw extruder. The mechanical properties of the materials were evaluated. Preliminary information about the biodegradation behavior of the specimens was obtained by visual observation of samples removed from the simulated soil in 90 days. The results indicated that LDPE/PHB blends may be used for designing LDPE based materials with increased susceptibility to degradation, if elongation at break and impact properties are not determinant factors of their performance. LDPE based materials on GG present values of flexural and mechanical strength lower than those of LDPE/PHB blends. LDPE/PHB/GG blends exhibit unsatisfactory properties. Apparently, the effect of addition of GG to LDPE on the biodegradation behavior of LDPE/GG blends was less intense than the effect caused by addition of PHB to the blends. Similar observation has occurred with the partial replacement of GG by PHB in the ternary blends.

LDPE/PHB blends filled with castor oil pressed cake

Blends of PHB and LDPE were prepared by melt mixing in a twin screw extruder. Castor oil pressed cake (CC) was used as filler for the blends. The mixture design technique was used to evaluate the effect of the components proportion on the materials flexural properties. The results show that superior LDPE flexural properties may be obtained by the addition of PHB or castor oil cake to LDPE. Biodegradation was evaluated burying the samples in simulated soil for different periods of time. The ternary mixtures with higher content of PHB showed more pronounced degradation. Under the experimental conditions studied the LDPE/CC compositions presented no degradation. However, the loss of mass of the LDPE/PHB/CC ternary mixtures was higher than the loss of mass of the corresponding LDPE/PHB binary mixture. This result suggests that the castor oil cake accelerates the degradation of the LDPE/PHB mixtures.

Mechanical and morphological properties of LDPE/ PHB blends filled with castor oil pressed cake

Blends of PHB and LDPE were prepared by melt mixing in a twin screw extruder. Castor oil cake (CC) was used as filler for the blends. The design of experiments (DOE) technique was used to evaluate the effect of the components proportion on the materials properties. The mechanical properties and morphology of the materials were evaluated. The LDPE Young’s modulus increases but the other tensile properties and impact resistance deteriorate with the addition of PHB or CC. The tensile strength values of binary mixtures of LDPE lie in the range from 8.9 to 10 MPa. As some commercial grades of LDPE have mechanical strength in this range, it may be inferred that the addition of a certain amount of PHB or CC to LDPE may be considered as a possibility for obtaining LDPE based materials with increased susceptibility to biodegradation. The poor interfacial adhesion between the phases became visible in all samples.

Reologia de Polietileno de Alta Densidade Tenacificado com Polietileno Elastomérico

In this work rheological properties of high density polyethylene toughened with two different grades of metallocene elastomers based on poly(ethylene-co-octene) were studied. These elastomers were commercial polymers differing in molecular weight, and Dow Rheology Index (DRI). Blends were processed in a Wortex single screw extruder (L/D=32), at 230 °C and 50 rpm, using mass fractions of EOC in the range from 5% to 80%. The rheological properties were evaluated in steady and dynamic experiments at 190 °C and shear rates in the range from 90 s -1 to 1500 s -1 with frequencies from 10 -1 s -1 to 10 -2 s -1 . The blends exhibited pseudoplasticity and complex rheological behavior. The complex rheological behavior was intensified with increasing molecular weight and long chain branching proportion (DRI) in the EOC elastomers.

Desenvolvimento de Materiais à Base de Poliolefinas e Elastômeros Metalocênicos

The aim of this work was to evaluate the mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of systems based on polyolefins (PP and HDPE) and ethylene/1-octene metallocene copolymer (EOC), produced by Dow Chemical. The effect of a propylene/1-octene metallocene copolymer (POC), obtained in the laboratory was also investigated as a compatibilizer agent for the PP/EOC blend. The results showed that the addition of certain contents of EOC to PP and HDPE may carry the production of materials with good mechanical properties. The data obtained also revealed that the POC copolymer can be used as compatibilizer agent of the PP/EOC blends.

Polietileno de Alta Densidade Tenacificado com Elastômero Metalocênico: 1. Propriedades Mecânicas e Características Morfológicas

The mechanical and morphological properties of high density polyethylene (HDPE) toughened with two different grades of metallocene elastomers based on ethylene/1- octene (EOC) were studied. These elastomers were commercial polymers differing in molecular weight, melt flow index and Dow rheology index (DRI). Blends were processed in a Wortex single screw extruder (L/D=32), at 230°C and 50 rpm, using mass fraction weight percent of EOC in the range from 5% to 80%. A synergistic effect on the tensile properties and supertough behavior for blends with EOC concentrations higher than 5% was observed. Cavitation, plastic deformation and fibrillized cavitation were observed in the deformation processes. Materials containing up to 50% of EOC exhibited dispersed morphologies with EOC spherical domains uniformly distributed with particle size in the range from 0.30 to 0.45 µm. The toughening of HDPE with ethylenic elastomers produced materials with good properties and technological compatibilization.

Introdução de ligações cruzadas no LLDPE através de processo de extrusão reativa de graftização do vinil-trimetóxi-silano (VTMS) na cadeia polimérica: Efeito das condições de processamento e do sistema reacional

Although silane-modified polyolefins have become an industrial process, little data have been published on the dependence of silane grafting reactions and the properties of crosslinked polyolefins on reaction parameters. Here we studied the melt grafting of vinyl trimetoxi silane (VTMS) onto linear low density polyethylene (LLDPE) promoted by dicumyl peroxide (DCP) in a single screw extruder followed by crosslinking reaction in hot water. The influence of grafting formulations and processing conditions on the melt flow index (MFI), gel content and thermal properties of grafted and crosslinked LLDPE was evaluated using a statistical design. The silane content was the most important variable when the reaction was performed with a low concentration of DCP (0.02 wt. (%)). Samples with significant gel content, however, were obtained with 0.07 wt. (%) of DCP. A decrease in the melt temperature and in the degree of crystallinity of LLDPE, as determined by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) melting enthalpies, was observed as a result of crosslinking formation. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed an improvement in the thermal stability of LLDPE due to the introduction of crosslinking reactions. Results from Fourier Transformed Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) provided evidence for VTMS grafting onto LLDPE and subsequent crosslinking reaction.

Mineralogical characterization of natural clays from Brazilian Southeast region for industrial applications

Characterization studies of clays are often performed to identify possible markets for these materials. Bearing this in mind, two samples of natural clays from the Southeast region of Brazil were studied. Conventional techniques of characterization were used. Granulometric analysis and determination of cationic exchange capacity of these clays were also performed. Nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements were used to determine the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller specific surface area, and Barrett-Joyner-Halenda and t-plot pore size analysis were carried out. The results obtained were similar for the two clays. Both present high clay fraction (above 80 wt%) composed of illite, kaolinite and quartz minerals. Stratified illite-smectite structures were also observed. Traces of calcite were detected in one of the clay samples, while traces of montmorillonite were observed in the other sample. These results were corroborated by the low cationic exchange capacity values obtained for both clays. These clays showed good adsorptive properties, evidenced by their specific surface areas, with predominantly mesoporous structures and slit-like pores. According to their features, these clays have potential use as adsorbents to replace more expensive materials due to their easy availability and low cost.