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. 2021 Apr 15;13(8):1296.
doi: 10.3390/polym13081296.

The Multiple Uses of Polypropylene/Polyethylene Terephthalate Microfibrillar Composite Structures to Support Waste Management-Composite Processing and Properties

Abdulhakim Almajid  1   2 , Rolf Walter  3 , Tim Kroos  3 , Harri Junaedi  1 , Martin Gurka  3 , Khalil Abdelrazek Khalil  4
Affiliations

The Multiple Uses of Polypropylene/Polyethylene Terephthalate Microfibrillar Composite Structures to Support Waste Management-Composite Processing and Properties

Abdulhakim Almajid et al. Polymers (Basel). .

Abstract

Composite processing and subsequent characterization of microfibrillar composites (MFC) were the focus of this work. Compression molding of wound MFC filaments was used to fabricate MFC composites. The MFC composites were composed of polypropylene (PP) as matrix materials and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) as reinforcement fibers. The PP/PET blends were mixed with PET contents ranging from 22 wt% to 45 wt%. The effect of processing parameters, pressure, temperature, and holding time on the mechanical properties of the MFCs was investigated. Tensile tests were conducted to optimize the processing parameter and weight ratio of PET. Tensile strength and modulus increased with the increase in PET content. PP/45 wt% PET MFC composites properties reached the value of PP/30 wt% GF. Falling weight tests were conducted on MFC composites. The MFC composites showed the ability to absorb the impact energy compared to neat PP and PP/30 wt% GF.

Keywords: PP/PET microfibrillar composites; automotive components; recycling; waste management.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Production of MFC composite plate, (a) filament winding around the aluminum plate, (b) compression hot press mold.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Testing samples (a) MFC plate, and (b) “dog-bone” standard samples.
Figure 3
Figure 3
(a) Falling Weight Test Device, (b) modes of failure.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Plate processing by hot press cycle: Accuracy of mold heating/cooling PP/PET.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Mechanical properties of MFC tensile modulus vs. wt% PET, applied pressure 10 MPa, holding time 4200 s.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Mechanical properties of pressed plates: Strength vs. wt% PET, applied pressure 10 MPa, holding time 4200 s.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Mechanical Properties of PP + 40, 45% PET: Modulus + Strength vs. Pressing time, applied pressure 10 MPa.
Figure 8
Figure 8
Mechanical properties of PP + 45% PET Modulus + Strength versus Mold Pressure, holding time 1000 s.
Figure 9
Figure 9
Modulus of the neat polymer, MFC composites, and PP/GF.
Figure 10
Figure 10
Tensile strength of the neat polymer, MFC composites, and PP/GF.
Figure 11
Figure 11
The schematical orientation of microfibrillar reinforced composite plates.
Figure 12
Figure 12
Impact behavior of reference materials ((a) neat PP and (b) PP/30 wt% GF).
Figure 13
Figure 13
Impact behavior of MFC plates ((a) PP/40 wt% PET and (b) PP/45 wt% PET).
Figure 14
Figure 14
Fractured impact samples, (a) neat PP, (b) PP/30 wt% GF, (c) PP/40 wt% PET MFC, and (d) PP/45 wt% PET MFC.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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