Development of Ecofriendly Snail Shell Particulate-Reinforced Recycled Waste Plastic Composites for Automobile Application.

I O Oladele,M H Adegun,O O Daramola,A A Adediran,A D Akinwekomi,O O Olumakinde

doi:10.1155/2020/7462758

I O Oladele, M H Adegun + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/7462758

Copy DOI

Abstract

The increase in demand for thermoplastics as a light-weight material for automobile application and other commercial purposes prompts more research into the available polymer resources. In this research, the possibility of enhancing the performance of recycled waste plastics (RWP) as polymer-based composites was examined. Particulate snail shell was obtained by grounding and sieving snail shells to obtain 53–63 μm passing which was used as reinforcement in the recycled waste plastics. The composites were developed by adding varying proportions of the snail shell particulate (SSP) to RWP using a randomly dispersed process in a hot compression moulding machine maintained at 190°C for 7 min. Selected properties of SSP-reinforced RWP composites were examined. The results showed an appreciable enhancement in the properties of composites developed compared to an unreinforced RWP matrix that serves as control. The ultimate tensile strength was enhanced by about 64%, while Young's Modulus and impact strength were enhanced by 37% and 29%, respectively. Wear and water repellant potentials were highly enhanced with the addition of 15 wt% of SSP with values of about 52% and 91%, respectively. This revealed that high content of the SSP contributes to the improvement of the strain-hardening potentials of the developed composites. The results showed that this composite material can be suitably adapted for use in the interior of automobiles as door sills or the floor panel.

Highlights

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are made by incorporating reinforcement into the matrix of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials. eir characteristics such as lightweight, high stiffness, high strength, good corrosion resistance, lesser environmental degradation, excellent thermal insulation, good acoustic damping, excellent design flexibility, and nonmagnetic properties have broadened the spectrum of their applications [1, 2]. ey are currently replacing conventional materials such as metal, ceramics, and wood in diverse applications that require light weight materials [3,4,5,6]
Processing of Waste Plastics and Snail Shell. e waste plastics and snail shells were washed with tap water to remove the adhered dirt and sun dried for 3 days. e waste plastics were shredded with a shredding machine to obtain granules, while the snail shells were crushed manually using a grinding stone and, later, pulverized using a pulverizing machine
E Scientific World Journal higher than that of the control sample. e composite sample with the highest value was found at 9 wt% reinforcement with a value of 41 MPa culminating to 64% enhancement. e improvement in the tensile strengths of the reinforced waste plastic-based composites can be attributed to rigidity of the reinforcement and adequate interfacial adhesion between the two phases. is occurrence of improved tensile strength with respect to snail shell particulate (SSP) is a function of an improved interfacial interaction between the surfaces of SSP and recycled waste plastics (RWP) which results in an efficient stress transfer mechanism within the composite system

Summary

Introduction

Polymer matrix composites (PMCs) are made by incorporating reinforcement into the matrix of thermoplastic and thermosetting materials. eir characteristics such as lightweight, high stiffness, high strength, good corrosion resistance, lesser environmental degradation, excellent thermal insulation, good acoustic damping, excellent design flexibility, and nonmagnetic properties have broadened the spectrum of their applications [1, 2]. ey are currently replacing conventional materials such as metal, ceramics, and wood in diverse applications that require light weight materials [3,4,5,6]. Various studies have been carried out on the development of biodegradable plastic-based composites by using natural fibres as reinforcement [7, 8]; damaged polymeric materials are often incinerated, and the burning process causes release of toxic gases to the environment [9, 10]. Research studies aimed at improving the mechanical properties of PMCs have investigated the feasibility of readily available fillers such as fly ash, mica, snail shell, coconut shell, calcite, rice husk, and periwinkle shell [13, 14]. Oladele et al reported a significant enhancement in wear and mechanical properties of epoxy biocomposite samples reinforced with a smaller particle size of African land snail shell with lower filler loading [15]. Adeyanju et al developed polyester composites using snail shell particulate

Methods

Results

Conclusion