Synthesis and characterization of talc and carbon black reinforced high density polyethylene composites

Abstract

Organic fillers like carbon black (C13) and inorganic fillers like talc (T) were separately incorporated in high density polycthylcne (HOPE) in order to fabricate HOPECB and HDPET cOlllpositcs. /\ pure HDPE and two series of composites, such as HDPECBO.5, HOPECB I, IIlWLCI310, 1I0PEC1320, 1I0PEC1340 and HOPETO.5, HOPET I, I.IOPET 10. IIOPET20 and IIDPET40 having 0.5, 1.0, 10, 20 and 40 wt % filler contents were fabricated by means of an extrusion molding method followed by a compression molding technique at 160°e. The prepared samples \-vere characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRO) technique, mechanical tcst. mieromcehanical test and thcrmal tcst. Analyses of XRD data reveal that the crystalline structure of pure HOPE is found to be orthorhombic, which remains unehangcd by the inclusion of both types of fillers. Although the crystallinity and crystallite size of the samples are observed to increase with thc increase of both reinforcemcnts, this increase is larger for C8 than for talc. The observcd tensile strcngth (TS), flcxural strcngth (FS), Young's modulus (Y) and tangcnt modulus (G) of pure HOPE are 23, 25, 335 and 969 MPa, respectively. The 7s' FS, Vane! G values lor HDPECB40 are 21, 48,1616 and 3149 MPa and for HDPET40 arc 23, 12. 1457 and 2153, respectively. Thus the Yand G incrcase for these two composites is several hundreds perccntage from those of pure I-lOPE. The microhardncss of the samples is observed to increase with both types of lillers, indicating the maximum hardncss increase of 262 and 10 I% for 1-lDpr::CI340 and HDPET40 from HOPE, respectively. The melting tcmperature of flOPET and IIDPECB composites is similar to that 01' HDPE, whereas the onset temperature of degradation and the degradation temperature of CB loaded composites are examined to show higher value than that of pure HOPE and talc loaded HI)PE composites. /\11 these findings strongly indicate a better mechanical, mieromechanical and thermal performance of the reinforced composites, where the influence 01' CB reinforcement in III)PE is superior to talc.