Sustainable composites based on polypropylene and clay

Abstract

The production and consumption of plastic materials have been increasingly studied, since the excessive use of its raw material, oil, and its incorrect final destination can cause serious damage to the environment. For this reason, plastic recycling has been frequently used due to its economic, social and ecological viability. Due to reprocessing, plastics lose properties with each recycling cycle. To optimize the properties of plastics, which are often recycled, natural fibers are mixed with these materials, forming composites. Polymeric composites are increasingly used in a wide range of applications due to their excellent physical-mechanical properties. Recycled HDPE composites were obtained in a twin-screw extruder, with three different fibers in the presence and absence of compatibilizer. Overall, the presence of the fiber promoted a reduction in impact resistance and thermal deflection temperature. On the other hand, it provided an increase in the softening temperature of the composites. Considering the results obtained, the PEZMA composite resulted in a material with greater impact resistance and a higher softening temperature.