Abstract
The effect of pre-irradiation of waste tire dust on the properties and compatibility of ethylene vinyl acetate/ waste tire dust (EVA/WTD) blend was investigated. WTD of 80 mesh particle size was irradiated by gamma ray from Cobalt 60 source at doses of 200kGy, 400kGy, 600kGy, 800kGy and 1000kGy. The irradiated WTD was then melt blended with EVA by using a Haake mixer at 50 rpm, 140°C for 10 minutes. All the samples were tested for elongation at break (Eb), tensile strength (Ts), hardness, impact strength, morphological and dynamic mechanical properties. Interestingly, an upward trend was observed for Ts, Eb and hardness of the EVA/WTD blends with irradiation dose. However, the impact strength did not show similar increase with irradiation dose. It was evident from the dynamic mechanical analysis that the compatibility between WTD and EVA was improved upon pre-irradiation of WTD. Photomicrographs obtained from the transmission and scanning electron microscopy were found to support this contention. The decrease in impact strength which counterbalanced by an increase in Eb of EVA/WTD blends revealed the devulcanization of WTD upon gamma irradiation.
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