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Utilization of polyethylene terephthalate waste as a carbon filler in polypropylene matrix: Investigation of mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties
Author(s) -
Poulose Anesh Manjaly,
Elnour Ahmed Yagoub,
Kumar Nadavala Siva,
Alhamidi Abdullah,
George Justin,
AlGhurabi Ebrahim H.,
Boumaza Mourad,
AlZahrani Saeed
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.50292
Subject(s) - materials science , polypropylene , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , thermogravimetric analysis , polyethylene , polyethylene terephthalate , thermal stability , carbon fibers , carbon black , young's modulus , pyrolysis , dynamic mechanical analysis , composite number , scanning electron microscope , polymer , chemical engineering , natural rubber , engineering
Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste was converted into carbon and the feasibility of utilizing it as a reinforcing filler material in a polypropylene (PP) matrix was investigated. The carbon produced by the pyrolysis of waste PET at 900°C in nitrogen atmosphere contains high carbon content (>70 wt%). PP/carbon composites were produced by melt blending process at varying loading concentrations. Scanning electron microscopy images at the fractured surface revealed that the carbon filler has better compatibility with the PP matrix. The mechanical, thermal, and rheological properties and surface morphology of the prepared composites were studied. The thermogravimetric analysis studies showed that the thermal stability of the PP/carbon composites was enhanced from 300 to 370°C with 20 wt% of carbon. At lower angular frequency (0.01 rad/s), the storage modulus (G′) of PP was 0.27 Pa and those of PP with 10 and 20 wt% carbon was 4.06 and 7.25 Pa, respectively. Among the PP/carbon composite prepared, PP with 5 wt% carbon showed the highest tensile strength of 38 MPa, greater than that of neat PP (35 MPa). The tensile modulus was enhanced from 0.9 to 1.2 GPa when the carbon content was increased from 0 to 20 wt%.