engleski

Preparation and analysis of PET/HDPE and PET/EPDM polymer blends from used materials

High density polyethylene (HDPE) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) are materials mostly used for packaging applications and that significantly contributes to post-consumer household waste. The large amount of disposable materials should be recycled and reused to protect the environment. Possible approach for recycling of polymer materials is mechanical recovery. The main idea is to recover post-consumer materials in form appliable for use or by mixing them with virgin polymers to obtain new properties of material. The mechanical recycling of PET was studied by preparing the polymer blends of PET/HDPE and PET/EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) by blending in Brabender plasticorder. The major problem which occurs in preparing of polymer blends is incompatibility and immiscibility of polymers. That results in poor mechanical properties. Studied samples of PET/HDPE blends were prepared with small amount of HDPE (3, 6, 10 wt %). Then another samples were prepared with lower amount of HDPE (less than 1 wt %). To overcome the problems of imcompatibility the compatibilizer (2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate + hexamethylene diisocyanate) was used to improve the adhesion between two phases. Samples were analysed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), the melt flow rate (MFR) was determined and mechanical properties were considered. The results indicate improvement of properties, compatibilizer reduces degree of crystallinity of PET and reduces MFR of blends in comparison to blends prepared without compatibilizer. Blends of PET and EPDM were prepared with intention of creating a polymer material with new properties in comparison to virgin PET, specially with improved toughness.

high density polyethylene; polyethylene terephthalate; polymer blends; mechanical recycling

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