Polymer Polyethylene Research Articles

Aqueous Supercapacitors with Low Cost and High Voltage Enabled by Co‐Solute Crowding Effect of Electrolyte

AbstractDeveloping high‐voltage and environmentally friendly aqueous electrolytes have become a significant trend in supercapacitors (SCs). However, achieving this goal usually requires the use of “water‐in‐salt” (WIS) electrolytes, inevitably increasing manufacturing costs and sometimes posing problems such as environmental pollution. Here, we developed a water/organic solvent hybrid electrolyte (8 m NaClO4‐20 % H2O‐30 % ACN‐50 % PEG‐200) with low cost and high‐voltage capacity using the water‐miscible polymer polyethylene glycol (PEG) as a crowding agent to suppress water activity, and acetonitrile (ACN) as a co‐solvent to improve the ion transport properties. The synergistic advantages of the two co‐solvents allow SCs using this electrolyte to have a high operative voltage window of up to 2.6 V, currently the highest operating voltage for aqueous carbon‐based SCs, excellent capacity retention (over 11000 cycles) and high energy densities (31.2 Wh kg−1). This work provides a promising method for developing green and inexpensive high‐voltage window aqueous electrolytes.

Development of a Workflow to Engineer Tailored Microparticles Via Inkjet Printing.

New drug development and delivery approaches result in an ever-increasing demand for tailored microparticles with defined sizes and structures. Inkjet printing technologies could be promising new processes to engineer particles with defined characteristics, as they are created to precisely deliver liquid droplets with high uniformity. D-mannitol was used as a model compound alone or co-processed with the pore former agent ammonium bicarbonate, and the polymer polyethylene glycol 200. Firstly, a drop shape analyzer was used to characterize and understand ink/substrate interactions, evaporation, and solidification kinetics. Consequently, the process was transferred to a laboratory-scale inkjet printer and the resulting particles collected, characterized and compared to others obtained via an industrial standard technique. The droplet shape analysis allowed to understand how 3D structures are formed and helped define the formulation and process parameters for inkjet printing. By adjusting the drop number and process waveform, spherical particles with a mean size of approximately 100µm were obtained. The addition of pore former and polymer allowed to tailor the crystallization kinetics, resulting in particles with a different surface (i.e., spike-like surface) and bulk (e.g. porous and non-porous) structure. The workflow described enabled the production of 3D structures via inkjet printing, demonstrating that this technique can be a promising approach to engineer microparticles.

ВЛИЯНИЕ КОМПАТИБИЛИЗАТОРА И СКОРОСТИ ПЕРЕМЕШИВАНИЯ НА ФИЗИКО-МЕХАНИЧЕСКИЕ СВОЙСТВА СМЕСИ ПОЛИМЕРОВ НА ОСНОВЕ ПОЛИВИНИЛХЛОРИДА И ПОЛИЭТИЛЕНА

This piece of work has investigated features of deformation of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyethylene (PE) polymer blends, resulted in the presence of two types of compatibilizers, and made a comparative assessment of the elastic strength characteristics of the blends versus their variations produced in the intensity of mixing components in the melt. The effect of plasticization of PVC with dioctyl phthalate was found at increased speed of stirring, expressed by a decrease in the modulus of elasticity and stress at the yield point. For mixtures with a PVC matrix in the absence of a compatibilizer, an increase in the PE content leads to a drop in stress at the yield point and elongation at break; for equal mixture compositions with intense mixing, the deformation curves show a combination of the yield zone and orientational ordering.

Fabrication and Radiation Attenuation of Linear Low Density Polyethylene with Iron Slag in the Range of Peak Potentials 50 kVp to 150 kVp

The emergence of polymer composite materials has potential advantages for shielding application form low energy radiation. Four different samples of different ratio of iron slag (0%, 1%, 5%, and 10%) based on a linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) polymer mixed were prepared and examined in this study. The measured densities of fabricated LLDPE samples were in the range of 0.925 to 1.004 g cm−3. The distribution of ironpreserving particles in an LLDPE polymer sample was also demonstrated in this study by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The linear and mass attenuation coefficients of the four samples were determined by using eight standard radiation qualities of different applied voltages (kVp) of 50, 60, 70, 84, 90, 105, 119, and 150 kVp. Moreover, the exposure radiation quality used with different energies was calculated through the half value layer (HVL). It was found that the dose value for different combinations of beam quality including the HVL and kVp did not exceed the recommended values given by the IEC 61267 standard with the effective energies of 28.7, 30.0, 33.0, 36.2, 37.7, 39.6, 44.3, and 50.0 keV. The results of the linear attenuation coefficients of four LLDPE samples were between 0.1886 cm−1 and 0.8412 cm−1. The composite that includes 10% iron slag has the highest attenuation across all incident beam energies. In addition, it exhibited the greatest mass attenuation coefficient among the selected samples. Furthermore, when the mean free path (MFP) was measured, the LLDPE + 10% iron slag composite has a lower MFP value which indicates it is best material for shielding photons in the selected energy range in our investigation.

How small is the big problem? Small microplastics

Particle size plays an important role in determining the behaviour, fate and effects of microplastics (MPs), yet little is known about MPs <300μm in aquatic environments. Therefore, we performed the first assessment of MPs in marine surface waters around the Whitsunday Islands region of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park, Australia, to test for the presence of small MPs (50-300μm) in-situ. Using a modified manta net, we demonstrate that MPs were present in all marine surface water samples, with a mean sea surface concentration of 0.23±0.03 particles m-3. Microplastics were mainly blue, clear and black fibres and fragments, consisting of polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene and polypropylene plastic polymers. Tourism and marine recreation were considered the major contributing sources of MPs to surface waters around the Whitsunday Islands. Between 10 and 124 times the number of MPs exist in the 50μm-300μm size class, compared with the 1mm-5mm size range. This finding indicates that the global abundance of small MPs in marine surface waters is grossly underestimated and warrants further investigation. Research into the occurrence, characteristics and environmental fate of MPs <300μm is needed to improve our understanding of the cumulative threats facing valuable ecosystems due to this smaller, potentially more hazardous size class.

Fate of microplastics during composting and their leachability

The occurrence of chemical compounds specific to individual plastic polymers allowed the determination of components in compost feedstock (urban greenery and bio bins of households). The total concentration of plastic polymers is 431 mg/kg. The main identified polymers are polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyethylene, polycarbonate, and polypropylene. Additives used to modify the properties of plastics are present in the concentration of 195 mg/kg. Twelve compounds used as additives in the production of plastics in both the feedstock and the compost were identified. A statistically significant relationship was found between the decrease of concentration of organic matter and concentrations of compounds that identify plastic polymers (polyethylene terephthalate and polystyrene). The decrease of concentrations of compounds specific to polymers after three months was observed in the range between 33 and 84%, while the decrease for additives was 68%. After 18 months, the loss was higher than 82% except for polypropylene (only 70%). Compound leachability after three months of composting decreased to one-quarter for most polymers (except polypropylene and polyethylene), and to one-third for additives.

Spatial and seasonal distribution of microplastic in surface water of Bueng Boraphet Wetland-a Ramsar wetland in Thailand.

This study sought to assess microplastic contamination in the surface water of the inland freshwater wetland, Bueng Boraphet Wetland, Thailand, which is a lentic system with various land-use patterns, including community areas, agricultural areas, and natural resource conservation areas. In 2019, water samples were collected during the wet and dry periods from the three land-use zones at depths of 0-30cm using a plankton net with 333µm in mesh size. The water samples were digested via a wet peroxide oxidation process prior to the identification of microplastic morphology using a stereomicroscope. The polymer types of microplastic were analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry. Microplastic was found to range from 0.00 to 4.61 particles/m2 (0.34 ± 0.81 particles/m2) or 0.0 to 19.57 particles/m3 (1.44 ± 3.4 particles/m3). Furthermore, significantly high amounts of microplastics were found in samples from the community area. No microplastic was detected in the sample from the natural resource conservation area. The quantity of microplastic did not significantly differ between the sampling periods. Polymer types, including polyester, polypropylene, and polyethylene terephthalate, were identified in this study. The microplastics were predominantly small and were colored black or red. Microplastic with a fiber shape (93.8%) was observed. Besides the specific gravity of the microplastic and hydrological characteristics, the high concentration of microplastics found in samples from the community area (0.62 ± 0.79 particles/m2 or 2.63 ± 3.36 particles/m3) is likely related to the high human pressure. As microplastic contamination can impact aquatic animals and wetland ecosystems, appropriate control measures for human activities and plastic waste management are required.

A Study on Over-Molded Copper-Based Flexible Electronic Circuits.

Over-molding has been proposed in recent years as an integrated functional flexible circuit board in a plastic part. This method uses the conventional process for film insert technology. Over-molding has attracted significant attention across many industries due to its potential to deliver different electrical functions in a variety of different part geometries, especially in automotive interiors and home appliances. While it has great application potential, manufacturing challenges continue throughout foil fabrication and injection molding. This raises challenges for designers and researchers responsible for maintaining the reliability of such electronic flexible circuits. Therefore, the purpose of this research paper is to improve some of the over-molding process parameters. On 0805 and 1206 over-molded zero-ohm resistors, electrical, mechanical, and failure characterization was performed. Those components were mounted in parallel, perpendicular, and 45° angled arrangements on two different polymer substrates, polyimide (PI) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) using lead-free solder, low-melt solder, and conductive adhesive paste. Moreover, as an over-molding material, polycarbonate (PC) with medium viscosity was used. The effect of using different mold shapes (corner mold, 2 mm flat mold, and 3 mm flat mold) and injection molding process parameters (injection speeds and melt temperature) was studied.

Evaluation of the properties of modified local asphalt binder by using styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) or low-density polyethylene (LDPE)

The influence of styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) or low-density polyethylene (LDPE) polymers on the characteristics of local asphalt binder was analyzed to characterize the rheological properties. The results indicated that the SBR or LDPE increased the softening point. The softening point was enhanced by around 35% when 9% of SBR was used in comparison to the unmodified asphalt, while there was a 15% increment when LDPE was used. The results also indicated that the SBR or LDPE decreased the penetration rate. The penetration decreases by around 36% when 9% of SBR is used compared to the neat asphalt, while a significant increment was 89% when 9% of LDPE is used. Additionally, when 9% SBR was employed, the ductility of the asphalt binder rose by roughly 73%, but 64% less ductility was seen when 9% LDPE was utilized. Finally, the addition of the additive has improved the penetration index, thus reducing the temperature sensitivity. Due to said above, SBR and LDPE are practical and promising modifiers that will be useful in enhancing the performance of the asphalt binder straightforwardly and efficiently.

Microplastics characteristics of lorjuk Solen sp. in east coastal waters of Surabaya

Microplastics (MPs) are plastic particles with sizes between <1 m to 5 mm. Microplastics are known to contaminate the environment and marine organisms. One type of marine organism that is often found on the east coast of the city of Surabaya is Lorjuk, namely bamboo shells or razor clams. Lorjuk is seafood and is known as a typical food of the city of Surabaya. This study aims to determine the potential for microplastic pollution in Lorjuk (Solen sp.) from 3 locations on the east coast of the city of Surabaya. Lorjuk observed were adult Lorjuk with a size of 5-6 cm. With the nature of Lorjuk as an infauna and filter feeder, microplastic observations were also carried out on sediment and water. The number, shape, color, size, and polymer type of microplastics were observed using an optical microscope and FTIR spectrophotometer. MPs were found in all samples of Lorjuk in the three locations, with an average number of 6-7 MPs/ind. The physical characteristics of microplastics indicate that fiber is the dominant form of microplastic (>90%) with the majority being blue. The MPs found in Lorjuk have an average size of 20-40 µm with low-density polyethylene (LDPE) polymer. The results of the Pearson correlation test showed that there was an effect of the relationship between the number of microplastics found in Lorjuk and microplastics in the environment around where Lorjuk lived (water column and sediment).

Filler dependent microstructural and optical properties of PVDF/PEG blends versus PVDF/GO nanocomposites

The micro-structural features and the optical properties of polymer blends (PB) of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) base with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polymer nanocomposites (PNC) of PVDF base with graphene oxide (GO) as fillers are compared. Different weight fractions of PVDF/PEG and PVDF/GO samples were prepared through the solution casting followed by spin coating method. The microstructure of PVDF/PEG blends and PVDF/GO nanocomposites shows formation of immiscible/compatible/homogenous microstructures over different extents of loading of the filler components. UV–visible spectrometry revealed an increase in absorbance with the amount of filler and the absorbance was found to be lesser and highly dispersive for the PB as compared to PNC, attributed to the heterogeneity/electrical conductivity of the respective fillers of the two different systems. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used to study the various optical constants (e.g. refractive index, extinction co-efficient, etc.) and their dispersion behavior over the visible range of wavelengths. The parameters show large variation as a function of component fillers due to the different extent of interaction of matrix/filler. The optimized parameters were obtained for the 20% PB and the 5% PNC samples respectively, suggesting PNC with nano fillers are always to be a better choice for developing them as materials suitable for various optical and other related applications.

Enhancement of the Rutting Resistance of Asphalt Mixtures at Different High Temperatures Using Waste Polyethylene Polymer

The temperature and stress caused by the load can be cited as two main parameters leading to breakage in asphalt pavement, especially rutting (permanent deformation). So, to reduce the problems of rutting of roads, several actions have been taken, including improving pavement quality and the structure design methods. The increase in the attention of respective engineers in the last few years to modify and improve the asphalt performance through providing different types of additives and replacing the raw materials of asphalt mixture with recycled materials to improve the environment and reduce the cost of modified pavement mixture. This study discussed the use of low-density waste polyethylene as an asphalt modifier in percentages of (2, 4, and 6) % by the weight of asphalt and their impact on the performance of asphalt mixtures at high temperatures. This study showed that using plastic waste (low-density polyethylene) as a bitumen modifier improved the performance of asphalt mixtures at different high temperatures. This was achieved by reducing the rut depth by (80.5) % and (82.3) % at temperatures of 50 C and 60 C, respectively, using low-density polyethylene waste at an optimum value of about 4% by weight of asphalt in addition to enhancing the Marshall stability by using this percentage of polymer.

A 75-year history of microplastic fragment accumulation rates in a semi-enclosed hypoxic basin

Plastic budgets in the marine environment and their long-term trends are yet to be fully understood. Measuring the accumulation rates in bottom sediments is crucial to solving the riddle of missing ocean plastics. Previous studies based on coastal sediment cores have found that accumulation rates have increased with increases in plastic production and/or regional populations. However, the correlations between the rates and bioactivities or ocean dynamics, which are crucial for modeling the microplastic sinking process, have not been examined. We revealed a 75-year microplastic fragment (0.3–5.0 mm) accumulation rate history in a hypoxic basin, Beppu Bay, Japan, based on multi-core analysis and 210Pb dating of the sediment which was cross-checked by time control with 137Cs radioactivity peaks. We found that a long-term linear increasing trend with an approximately 20-year variation overlapped with significant peaks around 1990 and 2014 with the first polypropylene microplastic fragment detected from a 1958.8–1961.0 CE sediment layer. The maximum rate was 203 pieces m−2 y−1 with an abundance of 86 pieces kg−1-dry in 2014. Smaller fragments in the size range of 0.3–2.0 mm have been consistently dominant in terms of the accumulation rate throughout the 1955–2015 period, accounting for 85.3 % of the total accumulation rate. The three major polymers (polyethylene, polypropylene, and polystyrene) accounted for 96.6 % of the total rate. The rate was highly and positively correlated with the chlorophyll-a accumulation rate and concentration in the sediment. Based on the microplastic accumulation rates and concentration in the seawater, the mean sinking velocity of microplastics was estimated to be in the order of 101 m d−1. Our results will contribute to significant progress in modeling the microplastic sinking process by offering the first field measurement-based mean sinking velocity and significant correlations between the rate and bioactivity-related signals.

Microplastic pollution in sediments of tropical shallow lakes

Forty-eight tropical shallow lakes (depth ≤ 4 m) across a climatic gradient were assessed for microplastic (MPs; <5 mm) pollution based on MPs concentrations in archive samples from lake shore sediments. The MPs were classified by type (fragments or fibres), colour (yellow, black, red, green, blue, white, and transparent), size (0.55 to 4.93 mm), and polymer (polyester, polyethylene, chlorinated polyethylene, and polyamide). Sediments were predominantly medium sand, and all samples (144) contained MPs, consisting of 24 % fragments (6.3 ± 11.3 MPs·300 g−1) and 76 % fibres (21.25 ± 12.7 MPs·300 g−1). The lake climate (humid, transitional, or semi-arid), type of surrounding land use (urban, semi-arid, or rural), and distance from the shoreline (0, 5 or 10 m) did not explain the differences in MPs concentrations, partially refuting the initial hypothesis. The only significant difference was between the sample medians for the number of fragments based on the region (H = 7.586; p = 0.0481). The number of fragments in the lakes in the humid region was greater than that in the semi-arid region (p < 0.05). Poor sanitation, sewage effluents, and solid wastes reaching and accumulating in the lakes may be the primary and transversal conditioning factors for this small difference among diverse environments. Freshwater lakes are investigated in all continents, and the present study contributes to the first record of MPs in shallow lake sediments in eastern South America. The 48 shallow lakes assessed showed a relatively low concentration of MPs compared to other lake contaminants reported in the international literature. This information coincides with public policies issued, regarding the control and reduction of plastics and MPs in Brazil, and the study region.

High solid content preparation of size controllable BiOCl crystals as pearlescent pigment in solvent-free polyurethane coating

In the current research, we are committed to solving the irreconcilable contradiction between fragmentation, agglomeration, poor size controllability, and high solid content in the preparation of BiOCl crystals. Water soluble block polymer polyethylene glycol monomethyl ether-b-polydimethylaminoethyl methacrylate (mPEG-b-PDMAEMA) was synthesized as dispersant to achieve high solid content by reducing the frequency of crystal collisions to avoid crystal fragments and agglomerates. With the reaction temperature of 80 °C, urea dosage of 40 g, bismuth salt solution addition rate of 0.45 ml/min, and variable amount of pre-added HCl in the reaction vessel, fragment-free BiOCl crystals of wide size ranges were successfully obtained with record-high solid content of above 10 wt%. Furthermore, bio-based pearlescent coatings were prepared by using as-synthesized BiOCl crystals as pearlescent pigments and polyglyceryl tetrastearate and polyphenyl polymethylene polyisocyanate (PAPI) as the formulations of two-component solvent free polyurethane. The decorative polyurethane coatings demonstrated excellent physical properties and corrosion resistance, which exhibited eye-catching gloss effects from pearl luster, glitter pearl luster, to shimmering luster derived from the size variation of 20, 50, and 70 µm, respectively. The large-scaled production of size controllable BiOCl crystals with high solid content in wide size range promises the practical applications in decorative coatings, cosmetics, clothing accessories, and car interior accessories.

Microplastics in the Surface Sediment of the main Red River Estuary

Microplastics (&lt; 5mm) are one emerging pollutant in the environment. These are the threats and challenges facing the global environment, economy, and society, especially in hotspot regions such as Asia. This paper presents the microplastic characteristics found in the surface sediment of the main Red River estuary (the Ba Lat) during four separate monitoring runs in 2020. The microplastic amount in the sediment samples varied from 800 items per kg of dried weight (dw) to 3,817 items.kg-1 dw, averaging 2,188 ± 1,499 items.kg-1 dw. Fiber and fragment microplastics were discovered to be primary shapes, of which fibers dominated (94%). Microplastic fiber sizes were found mainly in the &lt; 500 µm (69%) range. The most primarily observed colors of microplastics were blue (36%), white (21%), and red (11%). There were five recognized polymer types (polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polyurethane (PU), polyamide (PA), and polystyrene (PS)) in the sediment samples, with PE and PP predominating. Seasonal fluctuations in microplastic concentrations at the Ba Lat site, a significant aquaculture zone, may indicate the contribution of multiple sources. Our research demonstrated the necessity of microplastic observation in organisms, particularly in the aquaculture zones in Vietnam. Our findings further underline the importance of managing and minimizing the amount of plastic garbage that enters the ecosystem.

Investigation of microplastic pollution in Torghabeh River sediments, northeast of Iran

Rivers are the route of transfer of microplastics from upstream to downstream areas and seas. Microplastic tracing in river sediments can provide a better reflection of long-term microplastic pollution. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence and distribution of microplastic contamination in the Torghabeh River sediments in Khorasan Razavi (Iran). Sediment samples were collected from four sites along the river. Microplastic particles were classified according to type, shape, and color. The average microplastic concentration was 8 ± 2.82 particles per 100 g of dry sediments. Most of the microplastics detected in river sediments were in the form of filaments and fragments. A total of 32 polymers were identified and isolated from sediments. According to Raman spectroscopy results, polystyrene had the highest abundance compared to polyester, polyethylene, and other polymers. The predominant shape of the microplastics in the river sediment was filament and fragmented. It can be concluded that the areas that were exposed to human activity contained more microplastic contamination. The present investigation can also provide baseline information for the study of riverine ecosystems.

Creep analysis of Water tank made of Polypropylene (PP) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) polymer material using ANSYS Simulation

The present study investigates the creep behavior of water tank manufactured from Polypropylene (PP) and High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) polymeric material at 40 °C using ANSYS simulation software. Creep fracture is one of the major industrial problems for a product used for a long period of time. The creep analysis using simulation software is one of the ways to predict the life and durability of a plastic product with low cost and may help in optimizing its design. The PP and HDPE manufactured water tanks were commonly used for storing water in household and industrial applications. In this paper, a water tank were designed using an academic 3-Dimensional SOLIDWORKS software and ANSYS WORKBENCH were used for analyzing the creep strain for the developed CAD model. The CAD modelled water tank was tetrahedron meshed and simulated using static structural analysis and varying hydrostatic pressure were applied on the inner walls of the tank. The base of the tank was constrained to fixed. The analytical model based on modified time hardening creep model were implemented to analyze the creep strain. From the simulation, equivalent (Von-Misses) Stress, equivalent creep strain and total deformation were observed for the developed model. The obtained Creep strain-time graph were used to analyze the creep strain of PP and HDPE materials over a long period of time. From the simulation, it is observed that the material PP is more creep resistant than HDPE as equivalent stress of PP is more than HDPE at the applied hydrostatic pressure and the deformation for PP material were less compared to HDPE. The simulated limiting creep strain of PP as well as HDPE was in good agreement with the comparison of maximum limiting creep strain calculated from the material database.

Influence of physical aging of ferroelectric vinylidene fluoride copolymer films on their structural and electrophysical characteristics

AbstractGeneral problems of structural changes which occur at storage of two‐phase crystalline polymers with a metastable structure at room conditions are considered on the example of a vinylidene fluoride ‐ hexafluoropropylene copolymer. The physical aging occurs in flexible‐chain crystalline polymers (polyethylene, fluoropolymers under consideration, etc.), where, due to low glass transition temperatures, the liquid‐like dynamics of amorphous phase chains is realized at room temperature through cooperative micro‐Brownian motions with short relaxation times. Taking into account that covalent‐bound sections of the chains of the amorphous phase can enter the crystallites, the noted mobility may initiate changes in the size of the latter. Such a possibility is proved by the example of the noted copolymer. At low‐temperature crystallization of a vinylidene fluoride ‐ hexafluoropropylene copolymer from a solution the formed α‐phase crystals have little perfection. The size of the crystals increases when the films are stored in room conditions. Because of the crystal polymorphism, at the same time a certain fraction of γ‐phase crystals which are present in initial films undergo a polymorphic transformation γ → α. These processes lead to an increase in crystallinity. Moreover, during such processes additional structuring is observed, which is reduced to the displacement of various kinds of intra‐chain defects into the amorphous phase (and especially into the surface). Since the copolymers under study are ferroelectrics, they were studied by piezo force microscopy. It was found that despite the crystallization predominantly in nonpolar α‐phase, piezo force microscopy revealed a domain structure, which formation mechanism is discussed. The structural changes at physical aging of the films affect the character of the noted domain structure. Thus, it is suggested that the mechanism of the described structural changes is realized through the developed cooperative mobility of the chains in the amorphous phase, which characterizes the processes of rotational diffusion.

Investigating the Feasibility of Processing Activated Carbon/UHMWPE Polymer Composite Using Laser Powder Bed Fusion.

Activated Carbon (AC) is widely available at a relatively low cost, has a high porosity and is commonly used as a filter material for a range of applications. However, it is a brittle and friable material. Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE) polymer is a tough engineering plastic that has been used as a binder. The traditional method used in manufacturing AC/UHMWPE filters involves compressing AC/UHMWPE composite powder during heating in a mould. This process compresses the particles together and the materials undergo sintering. This process results in a low pore interconnectivity, which has a considerable impact on the filter’s efficiency. Selective Laser Sintering is a laser powder bed fusion additive manufacturing technique for polymers. This has a number of advantages compared to the conventional technique and produces a porous structure with improved filtration efficiency. We propose that this is due to the greater pore interconnectivity. In this work, AC/UHMWPE powdered composites were prepared with different AC and UHMWPE ratios. The structure and properties of the AC/UHMWPE composite were investigated and characterised to assess their suitability for selective laser sintering. Particle size and morphology analysis were conducted, as well as density measurements, powder flow, thermal analysis, and crystallinity measurements. The results reveal that the addition of AC improves the UHMWPE flow. The thermal analysis results show that the intrinsic thermal properties of UHMWPE powder are not significantly affected by the introduction of activated carbon. However, thermal gravimetric analysis revealed that the onset of mass loss is considerably shifted (20 °C) to higher temperatures for the AC/UHMWPE composites, which is favourable for laser sintering. Additionally, the change in the composition ratio of untreated composite does not have a significant effect on the degree of crystallinity. Laser-sintered AC/UHMWPE parts were successfully manufactured using a commercial laser-sintering machine.