Preparation and characterisation of polymer composites with bloodmeal
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Date
2016-01
Authors
Clarke, Cheryl-Ann Elizabeth
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus)
Abstract
This research focuses on the fabrication of composites produced by the combination of BM
(bloodmeal) with HOPE (high-density polyethylene). HOPE was chosen because it is amongst
the most widely used synthetic plastic material worldwide, thus a study of improving the
degradability of these materials can be regarded as worthwhile. HOPE was combined with dried
BM. The BM was blended with the polymers using mechanical mixing at 150 °C and
subsequent melt-pressing at the same temperature into films of different thicknesses. The
morphology, thermal and mechanical properties, and water absorption were investi gated using
moisture analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TOA),
optical microscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR)
spectroscopy, and tensile testing before and after periods of underground ageing. Moisture
analysis revealed that the addition of BM to HOPE moderately increased the moisture content
of the composites. Morphological investigations showed good dispersion of BM in the
polyethylene matrix, but the effects of ageing were not highly evident. DSC results indicated
that the presence of BM did not significantly influence the crystallization behaviour of HOPE
since the melting temperatures and melting enthalpies varied only slightly for each composition.
The mechanical properties for BM composites for all ageing times showed similar trends, such
as a large initial increase in modulus for I% BM added. The modulus decreased slightly as the
BM content increased. Overall, the mechanical properties remained relatively constant with
underground ageing time. In conclusion, it seems as if the presence of BM in HOPE had an
influence on the mechanical properties and water absorption behaviour of the composites, but
did not observably accelerate the underground environmental degradation of this polymer over
periods as long as 36 weeks.
Description
Keywords
Polymers, Polymeric composites, Polyethylene, Plastics -- Biodegradation, Biodegradable plastics, Dissertation (M.Sc. (Chemistry))--University of the Free State (Qwaqwa Campus), 2016