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Value‐added blends and composites from recycled plastic fishing gear
Author(s) -
Dagli S. S.,
Dey S.,
Tupil R.,
Xanthos M.
Publication year - 1995
Publication title -
journal of vinyl and additive technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.295
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1548-0585
pISSN - 1083-5601
DOI - 10.1002/vnl.730010317
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , fishing , fishery , biology
Among the various marine plastic debris, abandoned or lost fishing gear is a major pollutant, adversely affecting marine life and disturbing the ecological equilibrium. In an attempt to find a technological solution to recycling of the plastic fishing gear, two routes are evaluated. The first is melt reprocessing. Here, compatibilized blends and composites are prepared using various polymers—HDPE, nylon 6 (N6), nylon 66 (N66), etc.—obtained from melt reprocessing of fishnets. This approach involves cleaning, size reduction, melt extrusion and filtering, modification, and injection molding. Mechanical properties of blends and composites thus made are compared with commercial materials. The second approach uses these nets as organic fibrous reinforcements in polymeric matrices. N6 and N66 fibers obtained from fishnets are compounded with a thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) matrix at temperatures below the melting point of nylons. Good adhesion between the fibers and the matrix is obtained because of the interaction between nylons and TPU. Addition of nylon fibers to the TPU matrix result in improved stiffness. Shore hardness, abrasion resistance, etc.