Abstract
We developed polypropylene-based single-polymer composites (PP-SPC) with blends of amorphous poly-alpha-olefin (APAO) and random polypropylene copolymer (rPP) as matrix material and polypropylene (PP) woven fabric as reinforcement. Our goal was to utilize the lower melting temperature of APAO/rPP blends to increase the consolidation of the composites and decrease the heat load of the PP reinforcement. We produced the composites by film-stacking at 160 °C, and characterized the composites with density, peel, static tensile and dynamic falling weight impact tests, and by scanning electron microscopy. The results indicate that consolidation can be enhanced by increasing the APAO content of the matrix. We found that the APAO content of 50% is optimal for tensile properties. With increasing APAO content, the perforation energy decreased, but even the well-consolidated composites showed very high perforation energy. In the case of a pure APAO matrix, fiber content can be increased up to 80 wt% without a severe loss of consolidation, resulting in good tensile properties. The PP-SPCs developed possessed excellent mechanical properties, and well-consolidated composites can be produced with APAO/rPP blends as a matrix with high fiber content.
Highlights
Nowadays, polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widely used polymers in many applications in everyday life, because of its relatively good mechanical properties and low price [1]
As the amount of plastic waste is formidably high, and public opinion has shifted towards environmental consciousness, recycling has become of paramount importance in the plastic industry [3,4,5]
We suggest a new approach of using blends of amorphous poly-alpha-olefin (APAO) and random polypropylene copolymer as matrix to widen the processing window of the Single-polymer composites (SPC)
Summary
Polypropylene (PP) is one of the most widely used polymers in many applications in everyday life, because of its relatively good mechanical properties and low price [1]. To satisfy the demands of industrial applications, the properties of PP are enhanced, mostly with glass fiber (GF) reinforcement [2]. The main problem with the recycling of glass fiber-reinforced. It is possible to extract polypropylene from composites with the use of certain solvents, these solvents are usually hazardous materials [7]. Another significant drawback of PP/GF composites is that fiber/matrix adhesion is often unsatisfactory [8]
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