The reinforcement of recycled polypropylene (rPP) with mineral fillers, to obtain modulus values of 3000–4000 MPa has proven challenging for recyclers, whereas this is common practice for virgin PP. The main difference between recycled and virgin PP is the contaminating presence of other polymers. In this study, the composition of rPP sourced from electrical and electronic waste was analytically estimated. The rPP was found to be a PP/HDPE blend with ca. 90/10 m% ratio. Furthermore, the effect of HDPE on the thermal and physical properties of talc-filled PP was investigated by means of re-engineered blends and talc-filled compounds. It was found that HDPE has a profound effect on the degree to which rPP can be reinforced by talc. However, the quantified effects of the HDPE alone were not of sufficient magnitude to account for the full difference in properties between talc-filled rPP and virgin PP.
BabuBR, ParandeAK, BashaCA.Electrical and electronic waste: a global environmental problem. Waste Manag Res. 2007; 25 ( 4 ): 307–318. doi: 10.1177/0734242X07076941
2.
WidmerR, Oswald-KrapfH, Sinha-KhetriwalD, Global perspectives on e-waste. Environ Impact Assess Rev. Jul. 2005; 25 ( 5 ): 436–458. doi: 10.1016/j.eiar.2005.04.001
3.
AchiliasDS, AntonakouEV.Chemical and thermochemical recycling of polymers from waste electrical and electronic equipment. Recycl Mater Based Environ Friendly Tech. 2015. doi: 10.5772/59960.
4.
RagaertK, DelvaL, Van GeemK.Mechanical and chemical recycling of solid plastic waste. Waste Manag. 2017; 69: 24–58. doi: 10.1016/j.wasman.2017.07.044
VynckeG, OnnekinkJ, FeenstraT, Design from recycling for post-consumer WEEE plastics. Int Conf Polym Mould Innov. 2018: 6.
7.
ZhouY, RangariV, MahfuzH, Experimental study on thermal and mechanical behavior of polypropylene, talc/polypropylene and polypropylene/clay nanocomposites. Mater Sci Eng A. 2005; 402 ( 1–2 ): 109–117. doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2005.04.014
8.
VelascoJI, De SajaJA, MartinezAB.Crystallization behavior of polypropylene filled with surface-modified talc. J Appl Polym Sci. 1996; 61 ( 1 ): 125–132. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4628(19960705)61:1<125::AID-APP14>3.0.CO;2-6
9.
FerrageE, MartinF, BoudetA, Talc as nucleating agent of polypropylene: morphology induced by lamellar particles addition and interface mineral-matrix modelization. J Mater Sci. 2002; 37 ( 8 ): 1561–1573. doi: 10.1023/A:1014929121367
10.
NaikiM, FukuiY, MatsumuraT, Effect of talc on the crystallization of isotactic polypropylene. J Appl Polym Sci. 2001; 79 ( 9 ): 1693–1703. doi: 10.1002/1097-4628(20010228)79:9<1693::AID-APP190>3.0.CO;2-P
11.
MaitiSN, SharmaKK.Studies on polypropylene composites filled with talc particles. J Mater Sci. 1992; 27 ( 17 ): 4605–4613. doi: 10.1007/BF01165994
12.
Plastics Europe. Plastics – the facts 2019. Brussels, Belgium: Plastics Europe; 2019.
13.
MarisE, BotanéP, WavrerP, Characterizing plastics originating from WEEE: a case study in France. Miner Eng. 2015; 76: 28–37. doi: 10.1016/j.mineng.2014.12.034
14.
Bharath KumarBR, DoddamaniM, ZeltmannSE, Processing of cenosphere/HDPE syntactic foams using an industrial scale polymer injection molding machine. Mater Des. 2016; 92: 414–423. doi: 10.1016/j.matdes.2015.12.052
15.
GuptaAK, GuptaVB, PetersRH, The effect of addition of high-density polyethylene on the crystallization and mechanical properties of polypropylene and glass-fiber-reinforced polypropylene. J Appl Polym Sci. 1982; 27 ( 12 ): 4669–4686. doi: 10.1002/app.1982.070271214
16.
BakerJM.Tensile properties and morphology of blends of polyethylene and polypropylene. Texas Nat Resour Conserv Comm. 1996; 25 ( September ): 1–26.
17.
LinJ-H, PanY-J, LiuC-F, Preparation and compatibility evaluation of polypropylene/high density polyethylene polyblends. Materials (Basel). 2015; 8 ( 12 ): 8850–8859. doi: 10.3390/ma8125496
18.
HuboS, RagaertK.Mirror welding of recycled polyolefins. Polym Process Soc. 2016; 0 ( 1 ): 2016.
19.
Van BelleA, DemetsR, MysN, Microstructural contributions of different polyolefins to the deformation mechanisms of their binary blends. Submitt Polym. 2020; 12 ( 5 ): 1171. doi: 10.3390/polym12051171
20.
JoseS, ApremAS, FrancisB, Phase morphology, crystallisation behaviour and mechanical properties of isotactic polypropylene/high density polyethylene blends. Eur Polym J. 2004; 40 ( 9 ): 2105–2115. doi: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2004.02.026
21.
NETZSCH. Determination of the degree of crystallinity of polymers (Pe and Pp), p. 881505, 2006.
WangC, WangY, DangY, Synthesis of a novel titanium complex catalyst and its catalytic performance for olefin polymerization. Russ J Appl Chem. 2015; 88 ( 10 ): 1723–1727. doi: 10.1134/S1070427215100262
28.
BartlettDW, BarlowJW, PaulDR.Mechanical properties of blends containing HDPE and PP. J Appl Polym Sci. 1982; 27: 2351–2360. doi: 10.1002/app.1982.070270704
29.
BlomHP, TehJW, BremnerT, Isothermal and non-isothermal crystallization of PP: effect of annealing and of the addition of HDPE. Polymer (Guildf). 1998; 39 ( 17 ): 4011–4022. doi: 10.1016/S0032-3861(97)10305-6
30.
NaB, ZhangQ, WangK, Origin of various lamellar orientations in high-density polyethylene/isotactic polypropylene blends achieved via dynamic packing injection molding: bulk crystallization vs. epitaxy. Polymer (Guildf). 2005; 46 ( 3 ): 819–825. doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2004.11.110
31.
KarásekL, SumitaM.Characterization of dispersion state of filler and polymer-filler interactions in rubber-carbon black composites. J Mater Sci. 1996; 31 ( 2 ): 281–289. doi: 10.1007/BF01139141
32.
Ai WahC, Yub ChoongL, Seng NeonG.Effects of titanate coupling agent on rheological behaviour, dispersion characteristics and mechanical properties of talc filled polypropylene. Eur Polym J. 2000; 36 ( 4 ): 789–801. doi: 10.1016/S0014-3057(99)00123-8
33.
OsmanMA, AtallahA, SuterUW.Influence of excessive filler coating on the tensile properties of LDPE-calcium carbonate composites. Polymer (Guildf). 2004; 45 ( 4 ): 1177–1183. doi: 10.1016/j.polymer.2003.12.020
34.
BalogunYA, BuchananRC.Enhanced percolative properties from partial solubility dispersion of filler phase in conducting polymer composites (CPCs). Compos Sci Technol. 2010; 70 ( 6 ): 892–900. doi: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2010.01.009
35.
KarianHG.Polypropylene and polypropylene composites. Whitmore lake: Marcel Dekker, Inc.; 2003.
36.
TehJW.Structure and properties of polyethylene–polypropylene blend. J Appl Polym Sci. 1983; 28 ( 2 ): 605–618. doi: 10.1002/app.1983.070280216
37.
CavedaS, PérezE, Blázquez-BlázquezE, Influence of structure on the properties of polypropylene copolymers and terpolymers. Polym Test. 2017; 62: 23–32. doi: 10.1016/j.polymertesting.2017.06.008
ÖksüzM, ErogluM, YildinmH.Effect of talc on the properties of polypropylene/ethylene/propylene/diene terpolymer blends. J Appl Polym Sci. 2006; 101 ( 5 ): 3033–3039. doi: 10.1002/app.23699
40.
TaylorGI.The viscosity of a fluid containing small drops of another fluid. Proc R Soc London Ser A Contain Pap Math Phys Character. 1932; 138 ( 834 ): 41–48.
41.
UtrackiLA, ShiZH.Development of polymer blend morphology during compounding in a twin-screw extruder. part I: droplet dispersion and coalescence – a review. Polym Eng Sci. 1992; 32 ( 24 ): 1824–1833. doi: 10.1002/pen.760322405
42.
CallisterW, RethwischD.Materials science and engineering. Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons; 2011; p. 885.
43.
PremalalHGB, IsmailH, BaharinA.Comparison of the mechanical properties of rice husk powder filled polypropylene composites with talc filled polypropylene composites. Polym Test. 2002; 21 ( 7 ): 833–839. doi: 10.1016/S0142-9418(02)00018-1
44.
Guerrica-EchevarríaG, EguiazábalJI, NazábalJ.Influence of molding conditions and talc content on the properties of polypropylene composites. Eur Polym J. 1998; 34 ( 8 ): 1213–1219. doi: 10.1016/S0014-3057(97)00228-0
45.
JahaniY.Comparison of the effect of mica and talc and chemical coupling on the rheology, morphology, and mechanical properties of polypropylene composites. Polym Adv Technol. 2011; 22 ( 6 ): 942–950. doi: 10.1002/pat.1600
46.
GrazianoA, JafferS, SainM.Review on modification strategies of polyethylene/polypropylene immiscible thermoplastic polymer blends for enhancing their mechanical behavior. J Elastomers Plastics. 2018; 51 ( 4 ): 291–336. doi: 10.1177/0095244318783806
47.
MichlerGH, TovmasjanIM.Plaste und Kautschuk. Berlin: Springer; 1988.
