Abstract

The search for renewable alternatives for petroleum products that can be used in industrial applications is increasing. Each year, several tons of bio-derived industrial waste is produced and most of it is burned or placed in landfills. Olive pits (OP) have unique characteristics such as abundance, renewability, and biodegradability, which can be utilized to develop new types of biocomposites. One of the most promising uses of OP is that they can reinforce the mechanical properties of polymeric biocomposites. This study describes the preparation of recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) that is filled with OP flour (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt.%) using a twin-screw extruder. The effects of the chemical treatment of the OP surface (sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO)) on the bio-filler/polymer compatibility along with the produced composite’s chemical, physical, mechanical, and thermal properties have been explored. Overall, the reinforced composites that were obtained with alkali-treated OP have better biocomposite properties. This indicates an improved compatibility between the bio-filler and matrix. The results are promising in terms of using OP flour in developing green composites.

Highlights

  • Natural fillers can be obtained from forestry and agricultural wastes, and this includes olive pomace, which is a by-product of the olive oil production industry

  • The raw powder was used as a filler for the recycled low-density polyethylene (rLDPE) matrix without any modification, and it was denoted by Olive pits (OP)-UT

  • The main changes were detected by the disappearance of the peak around 1746 cm−1, after treatment with NaOH and water/dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is related to the wax and impurities on the filler surface

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Summary

Introduction

Natural fillers can be obtained from forestry and agricultural wastes, and this includes olive pomace, which is a by-product of the olive oil production industry. Considerable amounts of these wastes are produced, and they present an environmental hazard in olive oil-producing countries. Olive pits (OP) are residues that form part of the solid wastes produced by the olive oil manufacturing industry during the processing and extraction of olive oil from olives [5,6]. The properties of olive stone flour, which include its abundance, biodegradability, ease of processing, low density, and low cost, make it a promising organic filler [10,11]

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