PROCESSING AND CHARACTERISATION OF RECYCLED PP/PET MICROFIBRILLAR COMPOSITES

In this study, recycled polypropylene (r-PP) and recycled polyethylene terephthalate (r-PET) were used for matrix and reinforcing polymer, respectively. R-PP may lose some of its mechanical properties after being used or recycled. The limitations of r-PP can be improved by adding another polymer with better mechanical properties to reinforce it. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of drawn and undrawn r-PP/r-PET blend on tensile, flexural and impact properties. The composition of r-PP/r-PET used was 70/30 wt%. The mixture was blended and extruded by extruder machine. The mixture then shaped into test specimens by injection molding process. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was conducted to observe the formation of microfibrillar structure in the composite. The tensile strength of drawn r-PP/r-PET showed an increase of 10% while undrawn r-PP/r-PET showed a decrease of 5% in tensile strength compared to neat r-PP. The flexural strength for both undrawn and drawn r-PP/r-PET showed 20% and 30% increment, respectively, compared to neat r-PP. The impact strength of both undrawn and drawn r-PP/r-PET showed decrement of 60% and 55%, respectively, compared to neat r-PP.