Journal of Polymer, Sustainability and Technology (ISSN: TBC)

STUDIES ON MECHANICAL, ELECTRICAL AND PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF RECYCLED HDPE REINFORCED WITH WOODFLOUR NANOCLAY/MICROCLAY

2024-06-04T11:34:05+00:00

In this project we are using recycled HDPE along with woodflour as particulate filler and nanoclay/microclay to study the performance of these wood plastics composites. RecycledHDPE was melted-blended with wood flour (10%,20%&30%) using the twin screwcompounding extruder. Also nano clay (1% and 3%) was added with recycled HDPE containing 30% wood flour and also microclay (1%, 3%, 5% and7%) was added with nanoclay 3% containing recycled HDPE with 30%wood flour. PE-g-MAH was added as compatibilizer. The test specimens were prepared by injection molding machine as per ASTM standards. The mechanical, electrical, and physical properties were evaluated. The test results of wood plastics composites made with recycled HDPE indicated that the mechanical properties like tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength, flexural modulus, and hardness are improved.The elongation at break and izod impact strength were lowered. Wood flour (30%) reinforced recycled HDPE has higher mechanical properties with optimum impact strength than other formulations with and without nanoclay/microclay. Electrical properties like volume resistivity, surface resistivity, arc resistance and dielectric strength were decreased as the wood flour content was increased. The melt flow index was decreased, density increased. The mechanical properties ofwood recycled plastics composites were not affected or improved when nanoclay was used, when microclay was added then the tensile strength was little lowered and other mechanical properties were better than recycled HDPE but lower than wood plastic composites with and without nanoclay

ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABLE POLYESTER TILES OF DOMESTIC WASTE

2024-06-04T11:34:05+00:00

Sustainable unsaturated polyester resin composite tiles were prepared using snail shell powder by open mould technique. The snail shell powder filler was obtained from snail shell, a domestic waste. The filler characterized for pH (7.61), bulk density (1.33), specific gravity (1.80 g/cm³), refractive index (1.45), oil absorption (5.0 g/100 g), and moisture content (14.01%) was incorporated into the polymer matrix at 0 to 30 wt. % filler content. The tensile, and compressive strength of the tile samples decreased with filler content whereas the impact, hardness, and specific gravity increased with filler content, and were generally greater than those of cured unsaturated polyester resin at any filler content considered. The tile samples containing 15, and 25 wt. % snail shell powder were vitreous while the samples containing 10, 20, and 30 wt.% snail shell powder were semi – vitreous. The low water absorption property of the tile samples makes them suitable for household utilizations in areas such as kitchen walls, floors, backlashes, and shower walls, and should justify the use of low - cost snail shell powder in the composite industry. This will lead to a cost - effective handling and management of snail shell waste thereby, providing a clean environment.

KESAN MASA PRARAWATAN TERMA BAGI PENGHASILAN KARBON KERAS BERASASKAN SEKAM PADI UNTUK APLIKASI BATERI ION NATRIUM

2024-06-04T11:34:05+00:00

Sekam padi merupakan sisa biojisim yang memiliki potensi untuk digunakan dalam pembuatan elektrod karbon keras di dalam bateri ion natrium (SIBs). Bahan ini memiliki permukaan spesifik yang luas dan kapasiti menyimpan tenaga teori yang tinggi. Dalam kajian ini, kesan variasi masa prarawatan terma yang berbeza dijalankan terma dijalankan ke atas sekam padi sebagai sumber karbon keras untuk aplikasi bahan anod dalam SIB. Analisis spektroskopi Raman dan CHNSO telah dilakukan untuk menentukan sifat kimia manakala struktur karbon keras dikaji dengan pembelauan sinar-X (XRD). Ukuran saiz, luas permukaan liang, purata diameter dan isi padu liang telah dilakukan melalui analisis saiz zarah dan jerapan fizikal. Keputusan menunjukkan bahawa tempoh masa prarawatan terma mempunyai kesan yang signifikan terhadap sifat karbon keras. Masa rawatan terma optimum didapati adalah 40 jam (sampel RH2) dan mempunyai luas permukaan spesifik dan komponen karbon tertinggi iaitu 1059.02 m²g⁻¹ dan 78.0% masing-masing dengan saiz zarah berdiameter 15.0 µm. Luas permukaan ini adalah hampir empat kali ganda nilai yang diperolehi daripada kajian sebelum. Dijangkakan sampel ini dapat menghasilkan lebih tinggi kapasiti penyimpanan tenaga dan kinetik semasa operasi SIB kerana peningkatan luas permukaan dan tapak aktif.