Z. Firuz

Properties of recycled high density polyethylene/recycled polypropylene blends : Effect of maleic anhydride polypropylene

Polymer blending provides an efficient way to develop new materials with improved properties while preserve the primary properties of the materials at lower cost. The blends recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE) and recycled polypropylene (rPP) with and without maleic anhydride polypropylene (MAPP) have been investigated. The effect of different blend ratios on tensile properties, morphology and melt flow index were studied. The tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of both blends increased with increased of rPP in the blend ratios but the elongation at break decreased. It was found that the tensile strength and modulus of elasticity of compatibilized rHDPE/rPP blends higher than uncompatibilized blends. The SEM micrograph of tensile fractured surface of compatibilized blends showed better interfacial adhesion and interaction between rHDPE and rPP. The melt flow index of compatibilized blends showed better flowablity than uncompatibilized blends.

Compression Test and Energy Absorption of Polyurethane/Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Foam Composites

This paper describes the effect of multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) on the properties, especially the strength properties of rigid polyurethane (PU) foams produced from palm oil based polyol (POP) and methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). The foam composites in the ratio of 1:1.1 (wt. %) mixed at speed 2000 rpm. The addition of MWCNTs into PU foam are varies from 0 wt. % to 3 wt. %. The properties evaluated were compressive strength, density and energy absorption. Compressive strength of PU foam composites with 0.5% of MWCNTs showed the highest value 1.162 MPa of compressive strength compared to other foam composites. It was proved by modeling displacement nodal magnitude using NX Software (version 8.5). The density was increased 15.69 % with addition of 0.5 % MWCNTs into the PU foam. Increasing the amount of MWCNTs in PU foam was found to improve the energy absorption from 22.89 J for pure PU to 24.53 J for foam composites with 3 % MWCNTs.

Rigid Polyurethane Foam with Ionic Liquid Modified Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Composites

The rigid polyurethane (PU) were produced using ionic liquid (IL) modified multi walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) by reaction of palm oil based polyol (POP) with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). The 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium tetrafluoborate (BMIMBF4) used as IL to disperse MWCNTs in PU foam by grinding in ratio 1:3 by weight of MWCNTs to IL till black paste were obtained. The effects of different percentage of modified MWCNTs (0.0 - 3.0 %) on Polyurethane / Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes / Ionic Liquid (PMI) foam composites were evaluated in density, morphology and compressive strength. The density were increased higher 0.0538 kg / m3 at 3.0 % PMI. The average cell size value higher without addition modified MWCNTs and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) showed inhomogenously structure with addition of modified MWCNTs. Compressive strength with 0.5 % PMI showed the highest value 1.671 MPa compared to other PMI.

Tensile Properties of Wollastonite Filled High Density Polyethylene/Natural Rubber Composites

Wollastonite is one type of inorganic filler. The effects of wollastonite loading on tensile properties of wollastonite (WS) filled high density polyethylene (HDPE)/Natural Rubber (NR) composites was studied. The HDPE/NR/WS composites were prepared by using Brabender EC Plus at a temperature of 180 °C with rotor speed of 50 rpm for 10 min. It was found that the increasing of wollastonite loading had decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break, whereas the Young’s modulus of the HDPE/NR/WS composites had increased with the increasing of wollastonite loading.

Flexural Performance of Polyurethane/Multi Walled Carbon Nanotubes Foam Composites

Polyurethane (PU)/multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) foam composites were produced by reaction of based palm oil polyol (POP) with methylene diphenyl diisocyanate (MDI). The MWCNTs were added into PU foam with the percentages varied from 0 wt.% to 3 wt.%. Sandwich composites were prepared using hand lay-up method where Aluminium (Al) sheet as skin were stacked onto PU foam using Araldite adhesives. The PU/MWCNTs foam composites (PMFC) and PU/MWCNTs foam sandwich composites (PMFSC) were characterized using flexural test analysis. Observation showed higher value of flexural strength for PMFC and PMFSC at 0.5% incorporation of MWCNTs. The flexural strength of sandwich PU foam is higher with an average value of 159.38% than control PU foam, due to Al sheet act as ductile skin and prevents samples from rupture rapidly. The modeling using finite element analysis (NX Software-version 8.5) showed the displacement nodal magnitude for 0.5% PMFC (2.537 mm) are higher than 0.5% PMFSC (0.288 mm).

Effect of Wood Fiber Treated with Salicylic Acid/Ethanol on Tensile Properties and Thermal Stability of Recycled High Density Polyethylene/Wood Fiber Composites

The effect of salicylic acid/ethanol as a coupling agent on the tensile properties and thermal stability of recycled high density polyethylene/wood fiber (rHDPE/WF) composites were studied. Both composites rHDPE/WF and rHDPE/WFM (treatment with salicylic acid) were prepared using Brabender Plasticorder at temperature of 160°C and rotor speed of 50 rpm. The result indicated that rHDPE/WFM composites with salicylic acid exhibit higher tensile strength and modulus of elasticity and lower elongation at break than rHDPE/WF composites. It was also found that the addition of salicylic acid/ethanol shows better thermal stability in rHDPE/WFM composites than rHDPE/WF composites.

Effect of Salicylic Acid / Ethanol Treatment on Tensile Properties and Morphology Analysis of Recycled High Density Polyethylene / Wood Fiber Composites

The effect of salicylic acid as a coupling agent on the tensile properties, and morphology analysis of recycled high density polyethylene/wood fiber (rHDPE/WF) composites were studied. Both composites rHDPE/WF and rHDPE/WFM (treatment with salicylic acid) were prepared using Brabender Plasticorder at temperature of 160°C and rotor speed of 50 rpm. The result indicated that rHDPE/WFM composites with salicylic acid exhibit higher tensile strength and modulus of elasticity but lower elongation at break than rHDPE/WF composites. The SEM micrographs showed that the wood fiber was more widely dispersed in the rHDPE matrix with addition of ethyl salicylate than rHDPE/WFM.

Recycled High Density Polyethylene/Ethylene Vinyl Acetate (RHDPE/EVA)/Taro (Colocasia esculenta) Composites: The Effect of Caprolactam-Maleic Anhydride on Tensile Properties and Swelling Behaviour

Natural fillers fulfill most requirements needed to replace synthethic fillers in thermoplastic composites. However, some disadvantages appear when natural fillers are used for composites. The poor compatibility between the hydrophilic fillers with the hydrophobic polymer matrix leads to a weak interface and hence, thus poor mechanical properties. In this research, caprolactam-maleic anhydride (CL-MAH) was used as the compatibilizer (6wt%) and the effect of compatibilizer on the composites was studied on mechanical properties and swelling behavior of RHDPE/EVA/Taro. The tensile strength for RHDPE/EVA/Taro composites decreased while increasing the filler loadings but adding caprolactam-maleic anhydride in the composite significantly improved the tensile properties. The swelling behavior results indicated that increased in Taro filler and addition of CL-MAH will increase the mass swell of the composites.

Aluminium/Floral Foam Laminated Composites under Flexural and Compression Test

This study is concerned on evaluation of laminated composites of aluminium (Al) sheet and floral foam (FF) under flexural and compression test. Effect of different layers of Al/FF laminated composites was evaluated. Epoxy and hardener was used as the adhesive to bind the surface between the Al sheet and FF. The information on the functional group that exists in FF during the formation of the foam was verified by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. From flexural and compression test, the mechanical properties decreased with the increasing number of layers of Al/FF laminated composites. The load cannot be distributed uniformly across the composite layer thus results in failure. Optical Microscope (OM) was used to see the adhesion between the layers of Al/FF laminated composites. One layer (1L) of Al/FF shows good adhesion while for four layer (4L) of the composites show phase separation and the excess adhesive around the interface. This shows that the adhesion between the layers also contribute to the failure of the laminated composite. FTIR analysis shows that the FF consists of amine group (at 3587.95 cm-1), alcohol group (at 3305.35 cm-1) and alkyl group (>900 cm-1) which is the main functional group found in polyurethane foam.

Drop Weight Impact Analysis of Laminated Polyurethane Foam/Cloisite 30B Clay

Laminated polyurethane foam composite was produced by incorporating Cloisite 30B clay as filler and aluminium sheet as the skin. Initially, PU foams were synthesized with reaction of natural oil polyol and isocyanate with ratio of 1:1.1 by weight. Water was used as the blowing agent and appropriate surfactant and catalyst were added to ensure better performance of end product. Cloisite 30B was added as filler and the percentages were varied from 1 to 5 wt%. Al skin was attached at the top and bottom of the foam to increase the stiffness of the composite and improve its mechanical properties. In order to evaluate its impact characteristic, drop weight impact test was done and the drop height was varied from 5 cm to 20 cm. The results showed that there was no pattern that exists in the impact force, but found the results for the control PU foam (PU foam without filler) has a high impact force values at 5cm, 10 cm and 15 cm drop heights. The incorporation of clay particles were found to give lower impact force to the sample, especially at low filler percentage of 1%. It was found that the addition of clay particles has decrease the impact force of PU foam due to brittleness. Besides, the impact force of the laminated composite is higher than PU foam at the same drop height. For laminated composite at 10 cm, the impact force is higher with an average value of 817% as compared to PU foam. This shows that the addition of Al sheets have improved mechanical characteristics of foam and its ability to withstand higher impact force.