Open Loop Recycling of Recycled Polypropylene for Motorcycle Saddle Application

https://doi.org/10.22146/ajche.49556

Piyachat Wattanachai(1*), Benjawan Buasathain(2), Christian Antonio(3), Susan Roces(4)

(1) Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Burapha University, Sean Sook, Muang, Chonburi 20131, Thailand
(2) Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Burapha University, Sean Sook, Muang, Chonburi 20131, Thailand
(3) University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4068, Australia
(4) Department of Chemical Engineering, De La Salle University, Manila 0922, Philippines
(*) Corresponding Author

Abstract


This research investigated the possibility of using polymer blends of virgin and
recycled polypropylene (PP) for a motorcycle saddle application. Three different
recycled PPs obtained from different sources contained carbon black (CB). Specimens
were prepared by injection molding for mechanical property testing and color
characterization whereas scraps from runners were used for thermal property testing. It
was found that tensile and flexural properties of recycled PPs were better than those of
virgin PP due to the fact that recycled PPs contained CB which is a reinforcing material.
These properties were improved as the amount of recycled PP added increased. Since
recycled PPs are strong materials, they are hence brittle resulting in lowering impact
strength and percent elongation. The recycled PP sources and compatibility between
virgin and recycled PPs strongly influence the blends' properties. The melt flow index of
the blends increased as the amount of the recycled PP increased because of the short
polymer chains of recycled PP resulting from earlier processing. Blending virgin PP with
recycled PP not only improves its properties, but also reduces raw material costs in the
range of 5-13%. The advantage of open loop recycling is a wider recycled plastic
market.


Keywords


Polypropylene, recycled plastics, motorcycle parts, polymer blends, open loop recycling

Full Text:

PDF


References

  1. Al-Saleh, M. H., and Sundararaj, U. (2008). An innovative method to reduce percolation threshold of carbon black filled immiscible polymer blends, Composites Part A, 39, 284.
  2. Brachet, P., HØydal, L. T., Hinrichsen, E. L., and Melum, F. (2008). Modification of mechanical properties of recycled polypropylene from post-consumer containers, Waste Manage., 28, 2456.
  3. Chrissafis, K., Paraskevopoulos, K. M., Stavrev, S. Y., Docoslis, A., Vassiiou, A., and Bikiaris, D. N. (2007). Characterization and thermal degradation mechanism of isotactic polypropylene/carbon black nanocomposites, Thermochim Acta, 465, 6.
  4. Deng, H., Skipa, T., Zhang, R., Lellinger, D., Bilotti, E., Alig, I., and Peijs, T. (2009). Effect of melting and crystallization on the conductive network in conductive polymer composites, Polym., 50, 3747.
  5. Ferg, E. E., and Bolo, L. L. (2013). A correlation between the variable melt flow index and the molecular mass distribution of virgin and recycled polypropylene used in the manufacturing of battery cases, Polym. Test., 32, 1452.
  6. Gu, F., Hall, P., Miles, N. J., Ding, Q., and Wu, T. (2014). Improvement of mechanical properties of recycled plastic blends via optimizing processing parameters using the Taguchi method and principal component analysis, Mater. Des., 62, 189.
  7. Ha, K. H. (2012). Open-loop recycling to apply refrigerator plastics from post-consumer waste polypropylene, Mater. Des., 35, 310.
  8. Jakab, E., and Omastova, M. (2005). Thermal decomposition of polyolefin/carbon black composites, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis, 74, 204.
  9. Jancar, J., Douglas, J. F., Starr, F. W., Kumar, S. K., Cassagnau, P., Lesser, A. J., Sternstein, S. S., and Buehler M. J. (2010). Current issues in research on structure–property relationships in polymer nanocomposites, Polym., 51, 3321.
  10. Jiang, Z., Jin, J., Xiao, C., and Li, X. (2012). Effect of surface modification of carbon black (CB) on the morphology and crystallization of poly(ethylene terephthalate)/CB masterbatch, Colloids Surf. A, 395, 105.
  11. Kashiwagi, T., Grulke, E., Hilding, J., Groth, K., Harris, R., Butler, K., Shields, J., Kharchenko, S., and Douglas, J. (2004). Thermal and flammability properties of polypropylene/carbon nanotube nanocomposites, Polym., 45, 4227.
  12. Liu, F., Qian, X., Wu, X., Guo, C., Lei, Y., and Zhang, J. (2010). The response of carbon black filled high-density polyethylene to microwave processing, J. Mater. Process. Technol., 210, 1991.
  13. Madi, N. K. (2013). Thermal and mechanical properties of injection molded recycled high density polyethylene blends with virgin isotactic polypropylene, Mater. Des., 46, 435.
  14. Marinho, B., Ghislandia, M., Tkalyac, E., Koning, C. E., and de With, G. (2012). Electrical conductivity of compacts of graphene, multi-wall carbon nanotubes, carbon black, and graphite powder, Powder Technol., 221, 351.
  15. Meran, C., Ozturk, O., and Yuksel, M. (2008). Examination of the possibility of recycling and utilizing recycled polyethylene and polypropylene, Mater. Des., 29, 701.
  16. Mucha, M., Marszalek, J., and Fidrych, A. (2000). Crystallization of isotactic polypropylene containing carbon black as a filler, Polym., 41, 4137.
  17. Omnès, B., Thuillier, S., Pilvin, P., Grohens, Y., and Gillet, S. (2008). Effective properties of carbon black filled natural rubber: Experiments and modelling, Composites Part A, 39, 1141.
  18. Palza, H., Vergara, R., and Zapata, P. (2010). Improving the Thermal Behavior of Poly(propylene) by Addition of Spherical Silica Nanoparticle, Macromol. Mater. Eng., 295, 899.
  19. Plastic Addict Compounds (2003). On the road to recyclable cars. 5(2), 30.
  20. Rajendran, S., Scelsi, L., Hodzic, A., Soutis, C., and Al-Maadeed, M. A. (2012). Environmental impact assessment of composites containing recycled plastics, Resour. Conserv. Recy., 60, 131.
  21. Razavi-Nouri, M., Ghorbanzadeh- Ahangari, M., Fereidoon, A., and Jahanshahi, M. (2009). Effect of carbon nanotubes content on crystallization kinetics and morphology of polypropylene, Polym. Test., 28, 46.
  22. Reffaee, A. S. A., El Nashar, D. E., Abd- El-Messieh, S. L., and Abd-El Nour, K. N. (2009). Electrical and mechanical properties of acrylonitrile rubber and linear low density polyethylene composites in the vicinity of the percolation threshold, Mater. Des., 30, 3760.
  23. Reinforced Plastic (2003) Composites on the road to the big time?, 47(2), 33.
  24. Rigamonti, L., Grosso, M., MØller, J., Sanchez, V. M., Magnani, S., and Christensen, T. H. (2014). Environmental evaluation of plastic waste management scenarios, Resour. Conserv. Recy., 85, 42.
  25. Rust, N., Ferg, E. E., and Masalova, I. (2006). A degradation study of isotactic virgin and recycled polypropylene used in lead acid battery casings, Polym. Test., 25, 130.
  26. Semaan, M. E., Quarles, C. A., and Nikiel, L. (2002). Carbon Black and silica as reinforcers of rubber polymers: Doppler broadening spectroscopy results, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 75, 259.
  27. Socher, R., Krause, B., Hermasch, S., Wursche, R., and Pötschke, P. (2011). Electrical and thermal properties of polyamide 12 composites with hybrid fillers systems of multiwalled carbon nanotubes and carbon black, Compos. Sci. Technol., 71, 1053.
  28. Sten, R. S. (1992). Polymer recycling: Opportunities and limitations, Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 89, 835.
  29. Subramanian, P. M. (2000). Plastics recycling and waste management in the US, Resour. Conserv. Recy., 28, 253.
  30. Tao, Y., and Mai, K. (2007). Non- isothermal crystallization and melting behavior of compatibilized polypropylene/recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate) blends, Eur. Polym. J., 43, 3538.
  31. Thaithae, W., Antonio, C., and Wattanachai, P. (2016). Properties characterisation of polycarbonate and multi-walled carbon nanotubes composites prepared by solution technique, Asia-Pac. J. Chem. Eng., 11, 34.
  32. Wen, X., Wang, Y., Gong, J., Liu, J., Tian, N., Wang, Y., Jiang, Z., Qiu, J., and Tang, T. (2012). Thermal and flammability properties of polypropylene/carbon black nanocomposites, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 97, 793.
  33. Zhang, J. G., Jiang, D. D., and Wilkie, C. A. (2006). Thermal and flame properties of polyethylene and polypropylene nanocomposites based on an oligomerically-modified clay, Polym. Degrad. Stab., 91, 298.



DOI: https://doi.org/10.22146/ajche.49556

Article Metrics

Abstract views : 2394 | views : 3004

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.


ASEAN Journal of Chemical Engineering  (print ISSN 1655-4418; online ISSN 2655-5409) is published by Chemical Engineering Department, Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada.