Mechanical and morphological properties of hybrid composites based on recycled LDPE/EVA blend reinforced with clay and babassu fiber residues

Abstract

Over the years the consumption of plastic products made of conventional polymers has produced a large amount of waste which has led to disposal problems worldwide. Among the alternatives to minimize these problems are reuse and recycling practices. Then, the recycling of plastic and the use of recycled materials to produce new materials reinforced with nanoparticles from natural resources can be an alternative to reduce inappropriate waste disposal. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of the addition of clay and non-treated babassu fiber residues on the mechanical and morphological properties of composite based on recycled LDPE/EVA blend. Composite materials containing 1–3 wt% of babassu residues and 1 wt% of clay were prepared using a twin-screw extruder machine and flat die single extrusion process, in order to prepare hybrid composites sheets. The sheets prepared by recycled LDPE/EVA blend and its composites were characterized by tensile tests, XRD, and FE-SEM analysis and the correlation between properties was discussed.