High-density Polyethylene Fibers Research Articles

Post-consumer high-density polyethylene matrix reinforced by sugarcane bagasse fibers treated in stearic acid solution

The study aimed to advance composite technology by exploring the potential of recycled materials, specifically high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites reinforced with sugarcane bagasse fibers. This research not only addresses environmental concerns by utilizing recyclable materials but also aims to offer significant technical, economic, and social advantages. The investigation focused on formulating and evaluating these composites, considering varying proportions of untreated sugarcane bagasse fibers and examining the effects of chemical treatment with stearic acid at different temperatures. Using a conical twin-screw extruder and injector, the researchers produced and analyzed the composites both morphologically and mechanically. The principal findings indicated that the inclusion of untreated fibers improved the stiffness and tensile strength of the composites. Nevertheless, adhesion between the fibers and the matrix was compromised, especially with higher fiber concentrations. Chemical treatment at 40 °C significantly improved fiber/matrix interactions, thereby enhancing the reliability and mechanical properties of the composites. This treatment led to substantial increases in tensile and compressive strengths, particularly noticeable in composites containing 10%–15% fiber by weight. These results not only demonstrate the feasibility of using recycled HDPE and sugarcane bagasse fibers in composite materials but also suggest avenues for further exploration. Future research could delve deeper into optimizing chemical treatment processes to achieve even better adhesion and mechanical performance. Moreover, exploring broader applications in industries such as automotive, aerospace, naval, civil engineering, and packaging could unlock new opportunities for these sustainable composites. This study thus paves the way for advancing composite technology towards more environmentally friendly and economically viable solutions.

Influence of Recycled High-Density Polyethylene Fibers on the Mechanical and Electrochemical Properties of Reinforced Concrete

The quantity of different plastics generated after consumption is an impact factor affecting the environment, and the lack of recycling generates solid waste. The purpose of this work is to incorporate high-density recycled polyethylene fibers (HDPE) for possible use as concrete reinforcement. Physical and mechanical properties from recycled fibers were analyzed, such as density, absorption, and stress resistance, as well as workability, air content, porosity, concrete compression, and flexural strength properties. Samples were prepared with a low fiber content of 0.2% and 0.4%, as a substitution for sand weight, and lengths of 10 and 30 mm. To study corrosion phenomena, the specimens were exposed to a saline environment containing 3% sodium chloride for 365 days, and the electrochemical techniques including half-cell potential (HCP), electrochemical noise (EN), linear polarization resistance (LPR), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were applied. The results showed a 4.8% increase in compressive strength with a low fiber percentage and short geometries, while flexural strength increased marginally by 2.3% with small quantities of HDPE fibers. All these factors contribute to greater material durability, less permeability, and crack control. A positive effect of fibers with short dimensions on the corrosion processes of a steel bar was observed, with the fibers acting as a physical barrier against the diffusion of chloride ions.

Processing and Characterization of UV Irradiated HDPE/POSS Fibers.

High-performance polyethylene fibers, renowned for their superior attributes encompassing a high strength, modulus, and lightness, are conventionally manufactured through the gel spinning method. However, this method is encumbered by several drawbacks, including the requisite application of a separate process to eliminate solvents from the fibers and the utilization of chemicals deleterious to both the environment and human health. Alternatively, the adoption of the melt spinning method presents a cleaner and environmentally friendly approach to attain high-performance fibers. In the present investigation, high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers were produced employing the melt spinning method. After the spinning process, strategic orientation procedures were implemented to enhance the crystallinity of the spun fibers. As a concluding step, seeking to elevate the overall performance of the oriented spun HDPE fibers, a cross-linking treatment was applied via UV irradiation. Notably, this study pioneers the incorporation of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS) hybrid nanoparticles into HDPE during melt spinning, presenting a novel advancement aimed at further enhancing the mechanical properties of oriented HDPE fibers during UV irradiation. For this purpose, two distinct types of POSS, namely octavinyl POSS (OVPOSS) and methacryl POSS (MACPOSS), both having unsaturated double bonds capable of participating in the network structure of oriented HDPE spun during UV cross-linking, were used. The thermal, morphological, and mechanical properties, as well as the crystal structure of samples with and without POSS molecules, were investigated. The mechanical properties of the fibers exhibited higher values in the presence of OVPOSS. The incorporation of OVPOSS and MACPOSS resulted in a noteworthy improvement in the material's tensile strength, exhibiting a marked increase of 12.5 and 70.8%, respectively. This improvement can be attributed to the more homogeneous dispersion of OVPOSS in HDPE, actively participating in the three-dimensional network structure. After orientation and UV irradiation, the tensile strength of HDPE fibers incorporating OVPOSS increased to 293 MPa, accompanied by a concurrent increase in the modulus to 2.8 GPa. The addition of POSS nanoparticles thus yielded a substantial improvement in the overall performance of HDPE fibers.

Highly mesoporous activated carbon fibers using high density polyethylene precursor with a multi-step stabilization technique for automobile carbon canister

In this study, activated carbon fibers (ACFs) for automobile carbon canisters were produced using high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibers treated with a multistep stabilization process as the precursor. The stabilization of the HDPE fibers involved the following sequential steps: (1) electron beam irradiation, (2) mild sulfonation, and (3) dry oxidation. The stabilized fibers were carbonized at 900℃ in a nitrogen atmosphere. The carbonized fibers were activated at 900℃ in a water–vapor atmosphere from 30-60 min. The textural properties of the activated carbon fibers were determined using N2/77 K adsorption–desorption isotherms. The specific surface area ranged from 1090 to 1980 m2/g, and the total pore volume ranged from 0.56 to 1.11 cm3/g. The specific surface area, micropore volume, and mesopore volume increased with increasing activation time. The fractions of micropores and mesopores were similar across all conditions, whereas the yield decreased gradually until 50 min, and then exhibited a sharp decline at 60 min. The butane working capacity increased as much as 56.24% as the increase in activation time. This can be attributed to the increase in butane activity owing to the increase in micropore volume, along with a decrease in butane resistivity caused by the increase in mesopore volume at a specific diameter.

Heterogeneous Nucleation of High-Density Polyethylene Crystals on Graphene within Microdomains

In polymer processes, nucleating agents are often used to control the kinetics of crystallization, but their application remains largely a matter of trial and error. Thermodynamically, the efficiency of a nucleating agent can be quantified by the difference in substrate/crystal, crystal/melt, and substrate/melt interfacial energies, Δσ. In this work, the efficiency of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) as nucleating agents for high-density polyethylene (HDPE) is investigated. HDPE nucleates and crystallizes rapidly, so Δσ can be especially difficult to measure experimentally. To overcome this difficulty, blends of HDPE+GNP are confined to microdomains so that crystallization becomes nucleation limited. Two methods of microdomain formation are employed. In the first, HDPE+GNP is melt-blended with an immiscible matrix of polystyrene (PS), and crystallization is characterized using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC); in the second, dispersions of HDPE+GNP in toluene are sprayed onto PS substrates, and crystallization is characterized with polarized optical microscopy (POM). Heterogeneous nucleation rates at several crystallization temperatures and for several GNP loadings were measured by these two methods and found to give excellent agreement across GNP loadings. The value of Δσ for HDPE+GNP is calculated to be 0.83 ± 0.18 erg/cm2. This value is only 2.8 times larger than that reported for HDPE nucleated heterogeneously on a HDPE fiber, a nearly ideal nucleating agent for HDPE, and much smaller than many of the best nucleating agents reported for other polymers. We conclude that GNP is an efficient nucleating agent for HDPE.

An assessment of HDPE fillers and Fiber Wrapping on the strength of Reinforced Concrete

Fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) is the most promising technique in the present era to bring sustainability, reliability, and pseudo ductility to concrete structures due to its superior properties. Thermoplastic and thermoset polymers are the most thrown-out synthetic waste that contributes to environmental pollution for a long time. Knowing this issue an attempt was made to use High-Density Polyethylene Fiber (HDPE) fillers of size 40x2 mm has been used in concrete. This investigation aims to estimate the integrity effect of HDPE fillers incorporation and wrapping of concrete with Basalt fiber mats (BFM) and Geo-textile fiber mats (GFM) on split tensile strength, shear strength, and impact resistance as per standards. Results indicate that the addition of an optimum quantity of HDPE has a significant effect on improving the tensile, shear, and impact strengths. Adding HDPE fillers in the range of 0.5 - 1.5% in concrete samples wrapped with Basalt and Geo-textile fiber mats showed an increased tensile strength of up to 14.06% and 7.40% respectively with that conventional concrete. Further, wrapping of concrete using Basalt fiber and geotextile fiber mats showed a 4.16% and 20% increase in shear strength for 0.5% HDPE-incorporated concrete samples. Higher impact resistance was also observed for HDPE-added and fiber-wrapped concrete samples.

Preparation and characterization of polyethylene-based activated carbon fibers stabilized at low temperatures

This study introduces a method for preparing low-temperature-stabilized high-density polyethylene (HDPE)-based activated carbon fibers (HDPE-ACFs) by using a hybrid crosslinking method involving electron beam irradiation and sulfuric acid crosslinking. The HDPE fibers were primary crosslinked with an electron beam at radiation doses of 1000–2000 kGy before being secondarily crosslinked in sulfuric acid at 100 °C for 30–120 min. The hybrid crosslinked fibers were carbonized at 700 °C for 1 h and then formed into activated carbon fibers upon steam activation at 900 °C for 40–70 min. The surface morphology and structural characteristics of the HDPE-ACFs were observed via field-emission scanning electron microscopy, spherical aberration-corrected field-emission transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction analysis. The pore characteristics were analyzed by using Brunauer–Emmett–Teller and Barrett–Joyner–Halenda equations. As the activation time increased, the specific surface area and total pore volume increased by up to 2090 m2/g and 1.30 cm3/g, respectively. Thus, activated carbon fibers with a high tensile strength value of up to 78 MPa and specific surface area of at least 2000 m2/g were successfully prepared.

Analysis of Recycled HDPE Composite with OPEFB-Based Cellulose Fiber Reinforcement Characteristics for Casing Electronic Materials

Composite is a product of advanced material innovation which has better mechanical properties than a single material. In addition, composites also have high impact strength so they can be applied as cassing electronic, construction of boat walls, car dashboards, and others. This innovative product can be made from high density polyethylene (HDPE) thermoplastic waste material with cellulose filler based empty palm oil fruit bunches (OPEFB). In this study, a comparison of composite modifications between HDPE and cellulose fibers was carried out. The ratio of matrix and filler composition used in this study is 90:10. The mixing of HDPE : Cellulose fibers using injection melt blending system and extruder technique. The composites are then made into specimens for tensile strenght and impact tests. The results of the tensile strenght and impact test HDPE : Cellulose fiber composite with ratio 90:10 is 27.000 Mpa and 0.261750877 Joules. Analysis results Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) on the morphology of the composite fracture, it is known that there is a bond between the matrix (HDPE) and filler (cellulose fiber). The results of this study indicate that composite of HDPE: cellulose fiber based OPEFB (90:10) has potential as a material for cassing electronic.

Structural and mechanical performance of adobe with the addition of high-density polyethylene fibres for the construction of low-rise buildings

Adobe bricks have been used in construction since ancient times, due to their low cost, good performance and the ease of assembly and elaboration of these elements in construction. However, the low ductility and resistance of adobe could harm the structural behaviour of buildings, especially taller buildings. The addition of additives, in the form of abundant high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibres, could improve the mechanical properties from a seismic and structural point of view. These improved adobes could replace factory bricks, whose mechanical deficiencies are similar to adobe (stiffness and flexural strength), and they could reduce the high cost of buildings today. This work analyses and compares the performance and structural performance that these elements acquire in framed buildings, compared to traditional adobe, incorporating different percentages of high-density polyethylene fibres (HDPE) in low-rise buildings (of 2 and 4 storeys), which are very abundant in areas of high seismicity. For this, models of structural frames are analysed, adding adobe walls using the mechanical results carried out in a laboratory at the University of Talca (Chile). The addition of a small percentage (0.6% and 1.2%) of HDPE in the traditional adobe, improves the ductility and the structural performance of the frames.

Mechanical and Post-Cracking Performance of Recycled High Density Polyethylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Mechanical and Post-Cracking Performance of Recycled High Density Polyethylene Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Superhydrophobic and nanostructured CuFeCo powder alloy for the capture of microplastics

A superhydrophobic CuFeCo powder alloy, obtained by combining high-energy ball milling (HEBM) and liquid phase deposition (LPD), was used to remove high-density polyethylene fibres from water. After 48 h of HEBM, CuFeCo solid solution powder with ferromagnetic properties was obtained. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy showed a crystallite size of 20 nm, confirming its nanostructure. The metallic CuFeCo powder surface was functionalised with dodecanoic acid to confer superhydrophobicity (water contact angle = 162 ± 1°) and superoleophilicity (oil contact angle ~ 0°). Taking advantage of its superwettable properties, superhydrophobic CuFeCo particles were used to capture microplastics (270 µm < size < 1240 µm), which is an innovative application of superhydrophobic materials. This study demonstrates an innovative way of using superhydrophobic materials in environmental applications such as the removal of solid pollutants like microplastics. • Nanostructured CuFeCo particles acquire superhydrophobicity through functionalisation with dodecanoic acid. • The superhydrophobic CuFeCo particles separate oil from water. • The superhydrophobic CuFeCo particles capture microplastics at different concentrations.

Engineering Performance of Concrete Incorporated with Recycled High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)-A Systematic Review.

Incorporating recycled plastic waste in concrete manufacturing is one of the most ecologically and economically sustainable solutions for the rapid trends of annual plastic disposal and natural resource depletion worldwide. This paper comprehensively reviews the literature on engineering performance of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) incorporated in concrete in the forms of aggregates or fiber or cementitious material. Optimum 28-days’ compressive and flexural strength of HDPE fine aggregate concrete is observed at HDPE-10 and splitting tensile strength at HDPE-5 whereas for HDPE coarse aggregate concrete, within the range of 10% to 15% of HDPE incorporation and at HDPE-15, respectively. Similarly, 28-days’ flexural and splitting tensile strength of HDPE fiber reinforced concrete is increased to an optimum of 4.9 MPa at HDPE-3 and 4.4 MPa at HDPE-3.5, respectively, and higher than the standard/plain concrete matrix (HDPE-0) in all HDPE inclusion levels. Hydrophobicity, smooth surface texture and non-reactivity of HDPE has resulted in weaker bonds between concrete matrix and HDPE and thereby reducing both mechanical and durability performances of HDPE concrete with the increase of HDPE. Overall, this is the first ever review to present and analyze the current state of the mechanical and durability performance of recycled HDPE as a sustainable construction material, hence, advancing the research into better performance and successful applications of HDPE concrete.

Printed Self-Resonant Sensor on Building Envelope for Wall Integrity Monitoring

A screen printed self-resonant sensor is designed and printed on Tyvek® substrates to monitor the relative humidity (RH) and moisture level change inside the walls for early detection of moisture-related building problems. The highly sensitive sensor is based on the detection of the major resonant frequency shift in the reflection spectrum of the printed structure, which is highly sensitive to water. Tyvek® made by flash spinning extremely fine high-density polyethylene fibers allows for water vapor permeability and has been commonly used as house wrap in the walls. Two designs of the self-resonant sensors are modeled using 3-D finite element method and are printed within the Tyvek® envelope patch to monitor the RH level difference in a controlled chamber. Both modeling and experimental results have proven the effectiveness of the passive sensors to detect a small water droplet of 50 μL and RH change of as small as 10% variation.

Near Surface Characteristic: Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete With Different Aspect Ratio

The present work is enhancement of near surface characteristics for hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (aspect ratio 40+100). Here in this research work an attempt has made to study water absorption values for different types of fiber reinforced concrete, which are having different aspect ratios like 40, 100 and 40+100. Concrete mix along with fibers are casted and cured for 28days. Both water absorption test and sorptivity tests carried on hardened concrete. The main objective is to check variation in absorption values due to addition of different types of fibers. Here totally five different types of fibers are considered like steel fiber, Galvanized iron fibres, High density polyethylene fibres, waste plastic fiber and polypropylene fibers Experimental investigation shows that except polyprolene hybrid mix concrete other hybrid mixes has showed good results. But as compared to mono fiber reinforced concrete hybrid fiber reinforced concrete has showed better results. This research was aimed to provide benchmark for future research works on near surface characteristics of hybrid fiber reinforced concrete.

Mechanical properties and water absorption behavior of injection-molded wood fiber/carbon fiber high-density polyethylene hybrid composites

High-density polyethylene (HDPE) has been widely used to make wood–plastic composites (WPC) in the past decades for building materials, automotive, packaging, and furniture industry. However, the relatively poor mechanical properties have limited the applications of WPC. To address this issue, this study introduced a small of amount of lightweight and high-strength carbon fiber (CF) into the WPC matrix, to make hybrid composites through a cost-effective direct injection molding process. This paper investigated the mechanical properties and water absorption behaviors of hybrid HDPE composites with wood fiber (WF) and CF. Compared with WPC with the same fiber loading, the hybrid composites had 40% increase in tensile strength and 253% increase in tensile modulus. The effects of water absorption on the mechanical properties of hybrid composites were interpreted with two competing mechanisms (i.e., interfacial bond weakening and fiber swelling). This study implies that adding a small amount of CF to WPC in direct injection molding would be another approach for enhancing the mechanical properties without additional operating cost.

Do polymer fibres affect the distribution of steel fibres in hybrid fibre reinforced concretes?

This study investigates the effects of the hybrid use of different types of fibres in terms of their orientations, volume and hybridisation properties on the mechanical and fracture characteristics of self-compacting fibre reinforced concrete (FRC). In the experiments, three different types of macro fibres were used in two different proportions (1 or 2 vol%) to produce monotype or hybrid FRC with the same matrix phase and flowability. The fibre types used include (1) typical steel fibre, which is commonly used in many applications, (2) high-density polyethylene (HDPE) fibre with superior tensile strength, and (3) nylon fibre with characteristic diminishing effects on early and late age shrinkage. The fibre orientation was examined by image analysis and its relationship with post-cracking behaviour, which was determined by three-point flexural tests, was quantitatively evaluated. The study also evaluates and compares the orientations of different types of fibres in both monotype and hybrid FRC and reviews the interaction of fibre orientation. The results indicate that the highest flexural strength was obtained by using the nylon-steel FRC, while the HDPE-steel hybrid FRC series provided the highest fracture energy. The post-cracking residual strengths were found to have increased with increasing effective fibre reinforcement ratio, which is dependent largely on the orientations of fibres. The results of the image analysis indicate that the presence of HDPE or nylon fibres affects the orientation of steel fibres in hybrid FRC and these results were found to be in agreement with the mechanical and fracture properties of concretes. The test results demonstrate how the interactions of different types of fibres in terms of their orientations influence the flexural behaviour of hybrid FRC.

Impact of lithium chloride on the performance of wood fiber reinforced polyamide 6/high‐density polyethylene blend composites

AbstractWood fiber reinforced polyamide 6 (PA6) and high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) blend composites were prepared via hot pressing. The PA6 was modified by lithium chloride (LiCl) for reducing the melting point. Crystallization analysis exhibited the decrease of the melting point (220°C to none) and the processing temperature (240°C to 200°C) of PA6. Thus, undesired discoloration and degradation were improved. LiCl was in favor of the interfacial compatibility among PA6, HDPE, and wood fiber. Also the LiCl could enhance the mechanical properties of the final products. The maximum flexural strength can reach up to 100.4 MPa. Besides, both maleic anhydride grafted high‐density polyethylene and wood fiber had positive effects on the mechanical performance.

Mechanical and thermal properties of high-density polyethylene/alumina/glass fiber hybrid composites

In this investigation, composite materials made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and alumina, as well as from HDPE, alumina, and glass fibers, were prepared, aiming to improve the thermal stability, stiffness, and mechanical strength. The combined effects of alumina and glass fibers and the individual effects of alumina were studied. Alumina concentrations ranged from 5 wt% to 10 wt% and glass fiber concentrations ranged from 10 wt% to 30 wt%. For the hybrid composite materials, alumina concentration was maintained constant as the glass fiber concentration increased. The composites were processed with a double-screw extruder. Their properties were evaluated through a multi-analytical approach. Results pointed to a significant increase of the elastic modulus for the hybrid composite (up to 501% in comparison to the neat polymer), at the cost of a large decrease in toughness, alongside a decline in impact resistance. Elastic modulus improvement was observed in both hybrid and HDPE-alumina composites, being higher for the hybrid composites due to the addition of glass fibers. HDPE-alumina composites presented a decrease in mechanical strength, whereas the hybrid composites showed an increase of this parameter. Concerning thermal properties, the hybrid composites presented higher thermal stability than that of the HDPE-alumina composites and a similar degradation temperature as the neat polymer. Micrographs pointed to weak adhesion between alumina particles and the polymeric matrix as well as a slight degree of fiber detachment. Overall, the hybrid composites presented considerably higher stiffness and mechanical strength than the neat polymer and HDPE-alumina composite (19–26% increase), with no significant change in thermal stability.

In Vitro Performance of Polymethyl-Methacrylate with Ultra High Density Poly Ethylene Fiber and Nano Zirconium Oxide Particles Composite

Background: Poly (methyl methacrylate) has been widely utilized for fabrication of dentures for many years as it has good advantages but not achieved all demands of the mechanical properties such as low transverse strength, low impact strength, low surface hardness, high water solubility and high water sorption. Material and method: To provide bonding between ZrO2 nanoparticles and PMMA matrix, the ZrO2 Nano-fillers were surface-treated with a saline coupling agent. Plasma surface treatment of polyethylene (PE) fiber was done to change surface fiber by using DC- glow discharge system. For characterization of interring any functional groups, the (FTIR) spectrum were done .then the mechanical properties studied to choose the appropriate percentages to complete study. Results: The results revealed that highly significant difference between groups in transverse strength, the highest mean value (96.1700 N/mm2) found in 2.0% polyethylene fibers and 1.5% salinized Zirconium oxide nanoparticles group, highly significant increase in impact strength (7.69 Kj/m2), surface hardness (92.35) and highly significant decrease in water sorption (0.0016 mg/cm2) and water solubility (0.0013 mg/cm2). Conclusion: the use of saline coupling agent with ZrO2 and oxygen plasma treatment PE fiber provided an effective procedure for getting good bonding with the PMMA matrix to give enhanced properties for the composite.

Effects of Multiple Extrusions on Structure-property Performance of Natural Fiber High-density Polyethylene Biocomposites

Detailed analysis of the effects of multiple extrusions on physical, mechanical, micro-structural as well as dynamic mechanical thermal properties of natural fiber high-density polyethylene (HDPE) composites is reported. Composite materials containing HDPE, wood flour, and Maleic Anhydride polyethylene (MAPE) were manufactured and subjected to a recycling process consisting of up to four times grinding and reprocessing under industrial conditions. A wide range of analytical methods including bending tests, modulus of elasticity, impact strength, Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), fiber length measurement, water absorption tests, and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA) were employed to understand the effects of recycling on natural fiber-HDPE composites. The results revealed that the recycled composites had lower bending strength and modulus of elasticity values, as compared to the reference counterparts. Also, the once recycled composites showed higher impact strength. Results, as well, indicated that generally the recycled composites had lower water absorption values as compared to the reference ones. The results obtained from DMTA exhibited a decrease in storage modulus and an increase in mechanical loss factor (tan δ) for all composites subjected to recycling. Alterations in phase transition temperatures and intensities were also monitored and the possible reasons were analyzed.