An investigation into the tensile properties of recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) blended with talc filler

Abstract

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) is a well-established thermoplastic; however, with concerns about the fate of plastics at end-of-life, there is a growing interest in strategies to utilize recycled HDPE (rHDPE) in place of virgin HDPE (vHDPE). This study investigated the tensile properties of rHDPE/talc blends (0, 20, 28, and 38 wt% talc) and adequate talc dispersion was found in the blends using SEM imaging. Increases in tensile strength (up to 20.4%), elastic nominal stiffness (up to 93.5%), and a decrease in nominal yield strain (up to 50%) were observed for rHDPE with increasing talc content. The trends observed indicate that rHDPE could be a viable alternative/supplement to vHDPE for use in large volume structural applications. If talc filler particle dispersion can be well monitored, the rHDPE/talc blends have significant potential to be used and hence reduce the amount of virgin material needed; however, additional properties should be further explored.