PP/PE blends. IV. Characterization and compatibilization of blends of postconsumer resin with virgin PP and HDPE

✍ Scribed by H. P. Blom; J. W. Teh; A. Rudin

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 1998
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 433 KB
• Volume: 70
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/(sici)1097-4628(19981212)70:11<2081::aid-app2>3.0.co;2-4

✦ Synopsis

The mechanical properties of blends of isotactic polypropylene and highdensity polyethylene with a postconsumer resin (recycled dairy containers) were investigated over the entire composition range. Modification of these blends with an ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer or an ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymer was also investigated. Isotactic polypropylene/postconsumer resin blends have satisfactory impact and tensile properties at postconsumer resin contents of less than 50% for certain applications. At higher postconsumer resin contents, the tensile properties were adversely affected. The impact properties remained satisfactory. Addition of an ethylene/ propylene/diene copolymer improved the mechanical properties of these blends to levels equal to or greater than those for neat isotactic polypropylene. Ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers were also able to improve the mechanical properties, but not as efficiently as did the ethylene/propylene/diene copolymer. Blends of high-density polyethylene and a postconsumer resin had poor impact and tensile properties. Although the ethylene/ propylene/diene copolymer and ethylene/vinyl acetate copolymers were able to improve these properties, the improvement was insufficient for general recycling, except at lower (Յ25%) postconsumer resin contents.