Effect of tyre dust loading and compatiblizer on properties of recycled high density polyethylene/ethylene vinyl acetate/tyre dust composites

Abstract

The composites of recycled high density polyethylene (r-HDPE)/ ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA)/ tyre dust (TD) were studied. The composites were prepared using Brabender Plasticorder at 160 ºC with rotor speed of 50 rpm. The effect of TD content and several of compatibilizers on tensile properties, mass swell percentage, morphological properties,spectroscopy infrared and thermal characterization of r-HDPE/EVA/TD composites were investigated. The Compatibilizer used in this study were maleic anhydride (MAH), polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride (PEgMAH), and caprolactam (CL). The increasing of filler loading tends to decrease the tensile strength with the filler loading of TD5 (6.7%), TD10 (21.31%), TD15 (24.95%), TD20 (37.92%), TD25 (44.06%) and elongation at break with the filler loading TD5 (13.9%), TD10 (25.65%), TD15 (36.97%), TD20 (43.67%), TD25 (50.93%) of r-HDPE/EVA/TD composites. Besides, the modulus of elasticity with the filler loading of TD5 (12.87%), TD10 (18.08%), TD15 (26.136%), TD20 (44.41%) and TD25 (72.781%) and thermal stability increased. At similar filler loading (TD 15) with the incorporation of compatibilizer (MAH, PEgMAH, and CL) in r-HDPE/EVA/TD composites presented an improvement in tensile properties (2.08%, 2.68%, and 6.41%), modulus of elasticity (12.67%, 16.52%, and 25.2%) respectively and thermal stability but lower elongation at break ( 7.42%, 10.54%, 13.65%) and mass swell percentage ( 4.09%, 6.53%, 9.61%) compared to r-HDPE/EVA/TD composites. Scanning electron microscopes analysis also shows that the incorporation of compatibilizers improved the interfacial adhesion between TD and r-HDPE/EVA phase as shown in SEM micrographs. FTIR analysis proved the presence of MAH, PEgMAH and CL in the r-HDPE/EVA/TD composites. The presence of Caprolactam (CL) as compatibilizer in r-HDPE/EVA/TD composites shows good best compatibilizer compared than others.