Polyethylene Powder Research Articles

Analysis and Characterization of Coconut Shell Particulates Filled HDPE Composites

Abstract: This project mainly focuses on evaluating the mechanical property of composite material that consist of High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and Coconut shell powder (CS). The matrix material is High-density polyethylene (HDPE), and reinforcement is Coconut Shell (CS) particles were created with varying weight percentages (0, 10, 20 and 30wt. percent) using the injection molding process and were tested for strength. The elemental compositions of HDPE/CS new composites were investigated mechanical characterization and FEA software analysis. The varies wt. % such that (0,10,20, and 30 wt%) CS particulates-filled HDPE composite revealed the maximum compressive strength, Shore A hardness, Tensile test, Flexural test was founded. Then the Catia V5 software FEA structural analysis test was conducted such that structural analysis and thermal analysis. The HDPE/CS composites would be utilized for applications requiring low strength rack and pinion gear, light weight, electrical insulating component, home appliances, automobile interior parts, low power transmission spur gears, automobile brake fluid reservoir, automobile radiator water storage tank

Experimental Study on the Chlorine-Induced Corrosion and Blister Formation of Steel Pipes Coated with Modified Polyethylene Powder.

In this study, chlorine-induced corrosion and blister formation on steel pipes (SPs) coated with modified polyethylene powder (MPP) were evaluated through various tests, including chlorine exposure, wet immersion, and temperature gradient experiments. The results confirmed that the extent of corrosion and iron leaching varied with the coating type as expected. In batch leaching tests, no corrosion was observed on modified polyethylene-coated steel pipes (MPCSPs) within a chlorine concentration range of 0 mg/L to 10 mg/L; similarly, there were no significant changes in specimen weight or iron levels. In contrast, the control group with uncoated SPs exhibited significant iron leaching and corrosion, a trend consistent in sequential leaching experiments. SEM analysis after a month of chlorine exposure revealed no significant corrosion on MPCSPs, and SEM-EDX confirmed no major changes in the carbon bond structure, indicating resistance to high chlorine concentrations. Comparative analysis of wet immersion and temperature gradient tests between MPCSP and conventional epoxy-coated SP (ECSP) specimens revealed that MPCSPs did not develop blisters even after 100 days of immersion, whereas ECSPs began showing blisters as early as 50 days. In temperature gradient tests, MPCSPs showed no blisters after 100 days, while ECSPs exhibited severe internal coating layer blisters.

Solid‐State Processing of Nascent Disentangled UHMWPE Reactor Powders Mixed with Carbon Nanoparticles

AbstractAspects of solid‐state processing of nascent disentangled ultra‐high‐molecular‐weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powders of different syntheses mixed with electrically conductive carbon nanoparticles (NPs) of various types are studied. Effect of multiple parameters of the processing procedures on the electrophysical characteristics of the composite samples is investigated. Such parameters include time of preliminary ultrasonication (US) of NPs, time of US of UHMWPE/NPs mixtures, molding time, temperature, and pressure, deformation degree, etc. It is observed that by selecting optimal values of such parameters it is possible to obtain samples of composites with an extremely segregated structure made of the NPs, with NPs distributed evenly on the surfaces of the compacted UHMWPE powder particles. This ensures high levels of conductivity at very low values of NPs content. The segregated structure is retained when the composites are strengthened using the solid‐state uniaxial shear deformation process. While conductivity of most of the composites filled with various types of NPs monotonously decreases with the deformation ratio, conductivity of the composites filled with exceptionally long double‐walled carbon nanotubes is maintained. The processed oriented composites are also characterized by high EMR shielding properties, as well as interesting temperature dependencies of the electrical conductivity.

Microplastics in the commercially available branded milk in Bangladesh: An emerging threat for human health

Microplastics (MPs) are polymer-based particles commonly found in diverse foods that pose serious human health impacts throughout the food chain. Assessment of MPs in different food products is a prime measure to combat MP-related food contamination. Therefore, this study first investigated the identification, characterization, and potential risks of MPs in the commercially available milk brands (19 dry powders and 06 liquid brands) in Bangladesh. The presence of MPs in milk samples was 279.47 ± 134.26 particles/kg and 182.27 ± 55.13 particles/L for powder and liquid milk, respectively, with a significant variety. Study findings displayed miscellaneous colors, fiber shapes (powder=78 %; liquid=81 %), > 0.1 mm sizes (powder=69 %; liquid=65 %), and polyethylene (powder=48 %; liquid=44 %) dominating MPs categories. The pollution load index indicated significant pollution due to the high abundance of MPs. Further, other risk-evaluating indices including contamination factor and Nemerow pollution index represent moderate to high MP-induced pollution for both milk samples. Low to moderate polymeric risks are exhibited by powder and liquid milk samples. Children could be exposed to 3.43 times higher MPs than adults through daily oral ingestion, which has significant health effects. This study found that powder milk was the most severely MPs induced risk than liquid milk. Consequently, this study finding established a reference point for MP contamination in milk, so special attention must be taken during production, storage, and packaging stages to reduce MP contamination.

Co-exposure to polyethylene fiber and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium alters microbiome and metabolome of in vitro chicken cecal mesocosms.

Researching the exposome, a summation of exposure to one's lifespan, will aid in determining the environmental factors that contribute to disease states. There is an emerging concern that microplastic-pathogen interactions in the gastrointestinal tract of broiler chickens may lead to an increase in Salmonella infection across flocks and eventually increased incidence of human salmonellosis cases. In this research article, we elucidated the effects of acute co-exposure to polyethylene microplastics and Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium on the ceca microbial community in vitro. Salmonella presence caused strong shifts in the cecal metabolome but not the microbiome. The inverse was true for polyethylene fiber. Polyethylene powder had almost no effect. The co-exposure had worse effects than either alone. This demonstrates that exposure effects to the gut microbial community are contaminant-specific. When combined, the interactions between exposures exacerbate changes to the gut environment, necessitating future experiments studying low-dose chronic exposure effects with in vivo model systems.

Stretch-Induced Spin-Cast Membranes Based on Semi-Crystalline Polymers for Efficient Microfiltration.

Microfiltration membranes derived from semi-crystalline polymers face various challenges when synthesized through the extrusion-casting technique, including the use of large quantities of polymer, long casting times, and the generation of substantial waste. This study focuses on synthesizing these membranes using spin-casting, followed by stretch-induced pore formation. Recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and virgin polyethylene powder, combined with a calcium carbonate filler, were used as the source materials for the membranes. The influence of the polymer-filler ratio with and without stretching on the morphology, tensile strength, and water flow rate was investigated. Optimal conditions were determined, emphasizing a balance between pore structure and mechanical integrity. The permeable membrane exhibited a water flow rate of 19 mL/min, a tensile strength of 32 MPa, and a water contact angle of 126°. These membranes effectively eliminated suspended particles from water, with their performance evaluated against that of commercially available membranes. This research, carried out utilizing the spin-casting technique, outlines a synthesis route for microfiltration membranes tailored to semi-crystalline polymers and their plastic forms.

Dosimetric characteristics of 3D-printed and epoxy-based materials for particle therapy phantoms

Objective3D printing has seen use in many fields of imaging and radiation oncology, but applications in (anthropomorphic) phantoms, especially for particle therapy, are still lacking. The aim of this work was to characterize various available 3D printing methods and epoxy-based materials with the specific goal of identifying suitable tissue surrogates for dosimetry applications in particle therapy.Methods3D-printed and epoxy-based mixtures of varying ratios combining epoxy resin, bone meal, and polyethylene powder were scanned in a single-energy computed tomography (CT), a dual-energy CT, and a µCT scanner. Their CT-predicted attenuation was compared to measurements in a 148.2 MeV proton and 284.7 MeV/u carbon ion beam. The sample homogeneity was evaluated in the respective CT images and in the carbon beam, additionally via widening of the Bragg peak. To assess long-term stability attenuation, size and weight measurements were repeated after 6–12 months.ResultsFour 3D-printed materials, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene polylactic acid, fused deposition modeling printed nylon, and selective laser sintering printed nylon, and various ratios of epoxy-based mixtures were found to be suitable tissue surrogates. The materials’ predicted stopping power ratio matched the measured stopping power ratio within 3% for all investigated CT machines and protocols, except for µCT scans employing cone beam CT technology. The heterogeneity of the suitable surrogate samples was adequate, with a maximum Bragg peak width increase of 11.5 ± 2.5%. The repeat measurements showed no signs of degradation after 6–12 months.ConclusionWe identified surrogates for soft tissue and low- to medium-density bone among the investigated materials. This allows low-cost, adaptable phantoms to be built for quality assurance and end-to-end tests for particle therapy.

Influence and mechanism of ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene on mechanical and electromagnetic shielding properties of alkali-activated composite mortar based on magnesium slag, blast-furnace slag and silica fume

Addressing the environmental impact of the magnesium industry's waste, our study presents a sustainable solution by repurposing magnesium slag, blast-furnace slag, and silica fume to create an innovative alkali-activated mortar (MBS-AAM). This research further explores enhancing electromagnetic (EM) shielding capabilities by incorporating ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) powder into MBS-AAM. The addition of 0.5 wt% UHMWPE significantly improves the EM shielding effectiveness of the MBS-AAM composite. Specifically, the modified MBS-AAM demonstrates compressive and flexural strengths of 55.0 MPa and 8.5 MPa, respectively, along with a 148.68% increase in EM shielding effectiveness compared to conventional cement mortar. This advancement is attributed to the optimized pore structure, featuring a higher proportion of smaller pores and reduced overall porosity. Our findings highlight a dual benefit: effective waste utilization and enhanced material functionality for EM shielding, offering a promising approach to sustainable construction and waste management within the magnesium industry.

Cementation breaking and grit separation characteristics of weakly cemented natural gas hydrate by a new structure hydrocyclone

Solid fluidization exploitation technology is one of the most promising methods for the safe exploitation of shallow natural gas hydrates (NGH) in the deep sea. However, after primary jet breaking in the solid fluidization exploitation, the hydrate and argillaceous silt particles are in a state of weak cementation and agglomeration. When the argillaceous silt particles enter the offshore drilling platform with the drilling fluid, it causes substantial sand production, high energy consumption, and pipeline blockage, considerably affecting the development process of the NGH test. Therefore, in-situ desanding has become one of the key technologies of solid fluidization exploitation. In this study, a coupling method of hydrocyclone cementation breaking and hydrocyclone desanding was proposed, and a new structure of cementation breaking and grit separation hydrocyclone was designed. In a lab-designed cementation breaking and grit separation hydrocyclone system, the cementation breaking and grit separation characteristics of weakly cemented NGH similar materials in the swirl flow field were studied. The experimental results under the operating conditions studied show that the swirl flow field exhibits good cementation breaking and grit separation performance for weakly cemented NGH similar materials. For weakly cemented NGH similar materials with a compressive strength of 0.06–0.42 MPa, the cementation breaking efficiency of the cementation breaking and grit separation hydrocyclone is in the range of 27.17–99.61%. After the cementation breaking, the mixture of hydrate similar materials (hydrophilic polyethylene powder) and quartz sand was separated in the hydrocyclone. The separation efficiency of hydrate similar materials is 27.59–99.64%, and the desanding efficiency is 87.66–99.98%. The cementation breaking and grit separation of weakly cemented NGH similar materials were successfully realized. Based on the experimental data, a multiple regression model for the cementation strength of similar materials and the swirl flow field strength was established using the least squares method. This method is expected to provide new technical support for in-situ desanding and safe exploitation of the deep-sea shallow NGH production process.

Use of melt blending to synthesize wood plastic composites containing modified steel slag: a study

ABSTRACT .The novel modified steel slag/wood-plastic composites were innovatively prepared by melt blending with melt pressure 4.8 MPa ascribed to simpler operation. The addition of modified steel slag could be grafted on the molecular chain of polyethylene and wood powder using melt blending, producing chemical correlations. Their higher flexural strengths in the range of 24.78~32.35 MPa in accordance with GB/T 24137-2009 were used as indoor and outdoor decorative panels. Especially, the wood-plastic composite with 16 wt.% modified steel slag possessed the most optimal tensile strength and flexural strength achieving 17.36 MPa and 32.35 MPa which increased by 16.1% and 9.1% compared with talc powder/wood-plastic composites, respectively. Moreover, modified steel slag containing aluminum oxide, silicon dioxide, magnesium oxide and phosphorus pentoxide combined with residual substances of polyethylene and wood powder, resulting in a rapidly condensed form as a protective shield during combustion, increasing char yields as well as heat resistance.

Characterisation of High‐Density Polyethylene (DiaPow HDPE HX R) Powder for Use in Additive Manufacturing

High‐density polyethylene (HDPE) is largely processed using conventional manufacturing techniques. However, there is a need to investigate its processability when fabricated using additive manufacturing (AM) in an effort to use this polymer for high‐end applications, such as the fabrication of human implants. In this regard, the current study investigated the intrinsic and extrinsic properties of HDPE powders (DiaPow HDPE HX R) from Diamond Plastics GmbH, to determine its feasibility of use in powder bed fusion (PBF). Powder characterisation was undertaken using a scanning electron microscope (SEM), melt flow index (MFI) testing, tapped density testing, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier‐transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and hot‐stage microscopy. The analysis revealed that this high‐density polyethylene powder is suitable for processing using PBF based on the particle size distribution (PSD) (65–92 μm), flowability (Hausner ratio = 1.22 ± 0.02), melting point range (125.7–135.2 degrees Celsius), enthalpy of melting (170.51 J/g), and thermal stability (the materials starts to degrade at 350.0 degrees Celsius and completely degrades at 500.0 degrees Celsius). It also showed good coalescence behaviour. However, the narrow sintering window (7.9 degrees Celsius) of the material indicates possible challenges of shrinkage and curling during printing. The material was also found to have poor absorptive properties of infrared radiation at 10.6 μm, which might make sintering using CO2 lasers challenging.

Size- and concentration-dependent effects of microplastics on soil aggregate formation and properties

Plastics fragment and threaten soil ecosystems. Degradation of soil structure is one of the risks. Despite this, data on impacts of different sized microplastics (MPs) on soil aggregates is lacking. This study systematically investigated the effects of pristine polyethylene powders of different sizes (< 35, < 125, < 500 µm) and concentrations (0, 0.1, 1.0, 10 wt%) on aggregate formation and their properties for two contrasting soils (woodland soil, WS; agricultural soil, AS). 75 day wet-dry cycles produced newly-formed aggregates in all treatments. MP size and concentration impacted the incorporation of MPs in aggregates and this varied with aggregate size; the size distribution of aggregates also varied with MP size and concentration. Aggregates produced in soil containing 10 wt% < 35 µm MPs had significantly lower MWDs (mean weight diameters) than controls. The wettability of aggregates (> 4 mm) reduced with increasing MP exposure concentration and decreasing MP exposure size. MP incorporation decreased the water stability of aggregates (1–2 mm) in WS but increased it in AS. The particle density of aggregates (> 4 mm) significantly decreased with increasing MP concentration, whereas MP size had no effect. As MPs breakdown, fragment and become smaller over time, their potential risk to the aggregated structure of soil increases.

Changes in carbohydrate metabolism and soil microorganisms under the stress of polyamide and polyethylene nanoplastics during rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth

Nanoplastics (NPs) presence in agricultural soils can affect plant growth and impact the quality of agricultural products. To investigate the effect of polyamide (PA) NPs and polyethylene (PE) NPs on carbohydrate metabolism and soil microorganisms during rice growth, rice seedlings were exposed to soil containing 2 g/kg of 100 nm PA or 100 nm PE powder for 33 d. The results revealed that 100 nm PE reduced shoot length and dry weight of rice by 4.14 % and 15.68 %, respectively. Analyzing the expression of hexokinase-2 (HXK), phosphofructokinase-1 (PFK), pyruvate kinase (PK) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH), which are four genes related to carbohydrate metabolism, 100 nm PA decreased the expression of PFK and increased the expression of PK and IDH. 100 nm PE increased the expression of HXK, PFK, PK, and IDH. The results of soil microorganisms showed that 100 nm PA significantly effects on 3 bacterial phyla (Bacteroidota, Deinococcota, and Desulfobacterota), whereas 100 nm PE significantly effects on phylum Rozellomycota, class Umbelopsidomycetes, and an unclassified Firmicutes. Our study provides direct evidence of the negative effects of PA and PE on rice, which may be important for assessing the risk of NPs on agroecosystems.

Mechanical properties of cement mortar with gamma-irradiated recycled plastic powder, pellet, and fiber

This study aimed to investigate the impact of gamma irradiated recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) pellets, powder, and fibers on the mechanical performance and ductility of cementitious mortar. The sensitivity to gamma irradiation was explored by varying the irradiation rate and total dose. The recycled PET additives employed in this experiment consisted of pellets and their different application forms: powder and fiber, containing 30 % recycled raw materials polymerized through a chemically recycled method. For comparison, plain mortar composite and virgin PET mortar composite were used as controls. When PET pellets partially replaced the aggregate, the compressive strength of the composite decreased significantly as the volume fraction of pellets increased. Conversely, specimens partially replaced by PET powder showed an overall increase in compressive strength compared to the control specimens, regardless of the volume fraction of powder, gamma irradiation rate, or total dose, with no change in ductility. To assess changes in tensile strength and ductility of the recycled PET fibers under different gamma irradiation rates and total doses, direct fiber tensile tests were conducted. The gamma-irradiated fiber specimens exhibited a slight increase in strength and ductility. This information allowed for the calibration of the tensile material constitutive relationship of PET fibers, which was subsequently used in nonlinear finite element analysis. The study also investigated the variation in direct tensile, compressive, and flexural strengths with different volume fractions of fiber. The results indicated that the strength enhancement was minimal, but the direct tensile and flexural tensile analyses predicted an enhancement.

Optimizing the surface modification of cohesive polyethylene powders in a vibrated plasma-spouted bed: Exploring agglomerate size impact on coarser particle addition mechanism

Ultrafine polymer powders have garnered attention owing to their superior physical properties and reactivity. Nonetheless, the cohesive nature of these powders notably impedes efficient plasma surface modification, thereby limiting potential applications. The effects of optimizing the fluidization of cohesive powders on plasma treatment within a plasma-spouted bed were investigated in a prior study, wherein surface modification was significantly improved by incorporating coarser particles and vibration. However, the optimal conditions and mechanisms by which adding coarser particles to a vibrated plasma-spouted bed contributes to this enhancement remain unelucidated. This study entailed an investigation of the influence of gas flow rate, agglomerate properties, and plasma distribution in optimizing the wettability modification of ultrafine powders. Results indicate that increased gas flow rate, coarser particle size, and quantity lead to the formation of smaller, more uniform-sized agglomerates. Furthermore, the contact angle of the treated powder demonstrated a linear decrease with the reduction of average agglomerate size within a suitable gas velocity range, suggesting that enhanced exposure of the powder surface to plasma contributes to the optimization of plasma treatment. However, high-gas velocity may trigger particle entrainment and diminish surface modification, as evidenced by the limited plasma distribution primarily at the bottom of the reactor.

Waste Plastic Powder Coating on Acidic Aggregates: A New Hydrophobic Coating Technology to Build Moisture-Resistant Asphalt Mixtures

The surface energy of aggregate in asphalt pavements has a huge impact on its moisture susceptibility. The commercial antistripping agents widely used in asphalt may not be effective enough to enhance the moisture resistance if large quantities of acidic aggregates exist in pavements. This is also the reason why moisture damage is still an issue in many U.S. regions primarily supplied with “problematic” aggregates. In this regard, a promising solution is to use waste-plastic-coated aggregate, the surface of which is fundamentally modified and has a high affinity with asphalt because of the hydrophobic nature of plastic. However, it has not been widely promoted in the industry since there needs to be a practical and reliable method for uniform coating and avoiding the agglomeration of fine aggregate. To this end, an entirely new coating technology (thermoplastic polyethylene powder coating [TPPC]) was developed to coat aggregate using polyethylene (PE) powder. This technology utilizes a cheap but highly wettable fluidized bed to stably disperse the hydrophobic PE powder. Then, the dispersion liquid is sprayed onto the hot aggregate where the fluidized bed will evaporate fast while the PE particles stay, melt, and coat the aggregate surface. The microstructures of the coated aggregate were directly observed by scanning electron microscopy. Surface energy-based thermodynamic parameters were used to demonstrate the effect of TPPC on the moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures. This technology can be extended to other types of waste plastic if suitable fluidized beds are developed.

Mitigating Stripping in Asphalt Mixtures: Pretreatment of Aggregate by Thermoplastic Polyethylene Powder Coating

Thermoplastic polyethylene (PE) powder coating is proposed as a new technique to pretreat the aggregate of asphalt mixtures and improve the corresponding moisture resistance. In this paper, ethanol solution is investigated as a fluidized bed to disperse the PE powder. The surface tension of the solution, indicating the wettability of the liquid phase, decreases with increasing ethanol concentration and temperature. The PE powder could be stably dispersed into the solution when 15% ethanol solution heated to 40 to 50°C is used to reduce the surface tension of liquid to less than 40 mN/m. The suspension carrying the PE particles could be uniformly sprayed onto a hot aggregate surface (180–190°C) where the liquid phase evaporates fast while the PE powder melts and stays. The powder coating technique could prevent the aggregate from lumping and achieve a high-quality and efficient coating for aggregate. The PE monolayer model considering a hexagonal close packing of PE on aggregate surface is tentatively proposed to determine the theoretical amount of PE required to perfectly coat the aggregate. The predicted PE content was reasonably lower than that determined by the experimental results considering the ideal monolayer coating was hard to achieve. However, the modeling results could be used to determine the lower bound of the required PE content. The optimum PE content significantly increased with increasing particle size of PE and specific surface area of aggregate. The use of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) powder with a smaller particle size was more effective in the coating process. In addition, excessive PE could not further enhance the moisture resistance of asphalt mixtures efficiently. This study can contribute to both the recycling of waste plastic and the construction of durable asphalt pavements.

RUTTING PERFORMANCE OF TREATED LOW-DENSITY POLYETHYLENE AS ADDITIVE ON THE SUSTAINABLE MIXTURE

Rutting is a major distress issue in conventional flexible pavements causing the service life of road pavement reduced. A lot of efforts had been carried out to modify the hot mix asphalt mixture to overcome the problems. However, asphalt modification mainly increased the initial cost of road construction, which had forced many road agencies and researchers to use waste materials as modifiers. In this study, the potential use of low-density polyethylene powder made by waste plastic bag (treated) as an additive on the performance of rutting resistance was investigated by Marshall, resilient modulus, dynamic creep and double wheel tracker tests. The results showed that 0.75% of treated plastic (TP) by weight of total aggregate attained higher performance in rutting resistance than the conventional mixture. It can be concluded that the waste material additive not only increases the mixture performance but more towards mixture sustainability.

ENERGY- AND RESOURCE-SAVING PROCESSES INVOLVING THE POLYMER PHASE

The paper deals with the processes of application and production of various polymer materials. By coating the surface of mineral fertilizer granules with hydrophobic polymer films, fertilizers with controlled release of nutrient components were obtained. Such fertilizers can prevent the leaching of nutrients, prevent the negative impact on the environment and reduce fertilizer consumption. Methods for calculating the particle distribution function by the degree of coating characterizing the uniformity of coating on fluidized bed particles for stationary and non-stationary modes of operation of the apparatus are considered. The process of applying a thick composite coating to the surface of urea granules in a pan granulator was also investigated. A simple method for calculating the size distribution of the obtained granules with a composite shell is proposed. The actual problem of developing a method for predicting the kinetics of nutrient release from polymer-coated fertilizer granules based on a fairly simple mathematical model of the process has been solved. Studies of the combined polymerization and drying process in the synthesis of polyacrylamide and sodium methacrylate copolymer with methacrylic acid amide have shown that its use at the final stage of obtaining water-soluble acrylic polymers is very effective. This technique allows to reduce the total time of the technological cycle. The process of obtaining polyethylene powder by the method of elastic-deformation grinding of polymer gel and a two-stage process of solvent removal from polymer powder with the return of the solvent to the technological cycle has been developed. The rational technological parameters of the electrodialysis process of contaminated steam condensate of mineral fertilizers plant have been identified, which allows to obtain a more concentrated salt solution, which is used as a secondary raw material, as well as a desalinated solution used as process water. For citation: Lipin A.G., Lipin A.A. Energy- and resource-saving processes involving the polymer phase. ChemChemTech [Izv. Vyssh. Uchebn. Zaved. Khim. Khim. Tekhnol.]. 2023. V. 66. N 7. P. 203-213. DOI: 10.6060/ivkkt.20236607. 6836j.

Contact electrification of identical polyethylene powder

Contact electrification of polymeric material is still unclear. Here we consider contact electrification of identical polyethylene (PE; PE1 and PE2) powders. By the hard contacting, charge sources; PE-naked-activated-mechano-anion, PE-naked-activated-mechano-cation and PE-naked-activated-mechano-radical, are produced and tethered to the surface of PE1 and PE2. On contacting of particle with identical diameter, f-electron transfers from feasible PE1 charge source as donor to feasible PE2 charge source as acceptor and invers f-electron transfers from feasible PE2 charge source as donor to feasible PE1 charge source as acceptor are executed in setting where energy level of a donor is higher than that of an acceptor. Net transferred f-electron from total feasible PE1 charge sources as donor to total feasible PE2 charge sources as acceptor is zero because total energy of donors is identical to that of acceptors. Consequently, their net charge exhibits neutral. While on the contacting between large (PE1H) and small (PE2) particles, whole feasible PE1H charge source as net donors can donate f-electrons to whole feasible PE2 charge source as net acceptors because average energy of net donors is higher than that of net acceptors. Consequently, PE1H particle; large particle exhibits positive net charge, while PE2 particle; small particle exhibits negative net charge.