TY - JOUR
T1 - Physico-chemical and mechanical properties of coir-coconut husk reinforced LDPE composites
T2 - influence of long term acid ageing
AU - Obada, David Olubiyi
AU - Salami, Kazeem Adeniyi
AU - Oyedeji, Ayodeji Nathaniel
AU - Ocheme, Fidelis Ujor
AU - Okafor, Chibuzor Austin
AU - Umaru, Samaila
AU - Egbo, Chijioke Aloysius
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2022, Iran Polymer and Petrochemical Institute.
PY - 2023/2
Y1 - 2023/2
N2 - This work investigates the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of coir-coconut husk powder reinforced low-density polyethylene composites exposed to an aggressive (acidic) environment. The composites were prepared by the melt mixing moulding method. The fabricated composites were immersed in an acidic environment of pH 2.2 for a period of 27, 54, and 81 days. Two variants of samples were prepared namely: unreinforced samples (C1) and reinforced samples (C2). The unreinforced polymer samples (C1) were obtained before ageing (C1-0d), and after ageing (C1-27d, C1-54d, and C1-81d), and also, the reinforced polymer samples (C2) were obtained before ageing (C2-0d), and after ageing (C2-27d, C2-54d and C2-81d). Hardness, X-ray diffraction (XRD), friction, wear, and water absorption studies were carried out on the samples. From the experimental results, after immersion in the acidic solution for 27, 54, and 81 days, the hardness values of samples C1 (acid-aged variants) increased by 12.3, 19.4, and 31.5% with hardness values of 16.53 Hv, 18.0 Hv, and 21.7 Hv, respectively. For C2 samples, the hardness value increased by 6.50% and 17.3% after immersion in the acidic solution for 27 and 54 days with increments from 35.47 Hv (hardness value for C2-0d sample) to 37.93 Hv and 42.87 Hv, respectively. The crystallinity of the LDPE polymer- C2-54d sample, indicates its increasing strength since the intermolecular bonding is more significant in the crystalline phase. The study concluded that acid ageing has a noticeable influence on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of coir-coconut husk powder reinforced low-density LDPE composites. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - This work investigates the physical, chemical, and mechanical properties of coir-coconut husk powder reinforced low-density polyethylene composites exposed to an aggressive (acidic) environment. The composites were prepared by the melt mixing moulding method. The fabricated composites were immersed in an acidic environment of pH 2.2 for a period of 27, 54, and 81 days. Two variants of samples were prepared namely: unreinforced samples (C1) and reinforced samples (C2). The unreinforced polymer samples (C1) were obtained before ageing (C1-0d), and after ageing (C1-27d, C1-54d, and C1-81d), and also, the reinforced polymer samples (C2) were obtained before ageing (C2-0d), and after ageing (C2-27d, C2-54d and C2-81d). Hardness, X-ray diffraction (XRD), friction, wear, and water absorption studies were carried out on the samples. From the experimental results, after immersion in the acidic solution for 27, 54, and 81 days, the hardness values of samples C1 (acid-aged variants) increased by 12.3, 19.4, and 31.5% with hardness values of 16.53 Hv, 18.0 Hv, and 21.7 Hv, respectively. For C2 samples, the hardness value increased by 6.50% and 17.3% after immersion in the acidic solution for 27 and 54 days with increments from 35.47 Hv (hardness value for C2-0d sample) to 37.93 Hv and 42.87 Hv, respectively. The crystallinity of the LDPE polymer- C2-54d sample, indicates its increasing strength since the intermolecular bonding is more significant in the crystalline phase. The study concluded that acid ageing has a noticeable influence on the physico-chemical and mechanical properties of coir-coconut husk powder reinforced low-density LDPE composites. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - Acidic medium
KW - Coefficient of friction
KW - Coir
KW - Fickian diffusion
KW - Wear tracks
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85141955243&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s13726-022-01111-2
DO - 10.1007/s13726-022-01111-2
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85141955243
SN - 1026-1265
VL - 32
SP - 115
EP - 123
JO - Iranian Polymer Journal (English Edition)
JF - Iranian Polymer Journal (English Edition)
IS - 2
ER -