Mechanical and UV stability of HDPE composites reinforced with carbon black and zinc oxide for solar floater applications

Abstract

Anti-UV (ultra-violet) hybrid polymer composites were developed for application in floating solar power plants. Virgin high-density polyethylene (HDPE) was mixed with carbon black (CB) in weight percentages of 1.5, 2, and 2.5% with 1, 2, and 3% zinc oxide (ZnO) to prevent the floater from degrading due to UV light. A twin-screw extruder was used to prepare the composite, and four batches were formed. The test sample was prepared by an injection molding machine. After 672, 1413, and 3212 hours of accelerated weathering, the mechanical tests were conducted. After 1413 hours of weathering, pure HDPE loses its tensile strength, impact resistance, and elongation at break. The optimum performance was observed in batch B2, which contains 2% CB and 2% ZnO, with respect to the mechanical properties after UV exposure. The scanning electron microscope (SEM),energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) results also revealed that pure HDPE was more degraded compared to other composites. The strength of the polymer composite will decrease when ZnO and CB concentrations increase further. It was found that HDPE with 2% CB and 2% ZnO is an appropriate composite material for developing floaters used in floating solar power plants.