Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics
Due to a very low mixing entropy, most of the polymer pairs are immiscible. As a result, mixing polymers of different natures in a typical mechanical recycling process leads to materials with multiple interfaces and scarce interfacial adhesion and, consequently, with unacceptably low mechanical prop...
| Main Authors: | , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-12-01
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| Series: | Polymers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/24/5390 |
| _version_ | 1797455585605582848 |
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| author | Angela Marotta Andrea Causa Martina Salzano de Luna Veronica Ambrogi Giovanni Filippone |
| author_facet | Angela Marotta Andrea Causa Martina Salzano de Luna Veronica Ambrogi Giovanni Filippone |
| author_sort | Angela Marotta |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Due to a very low mixing entropy, most of the polymer pairs are immiscible. As a result, mixing polymers of different natures in a typical mechanical recycling process leads to materials with multiple interfaces and scarce interfacial adhesion and, consequently, with unacceptably low mechanical properties. Adding nanoparticles to multiphase polymeric matrices represents a viable route to mitigate this drawback of recycled plastics. Here, we use low amounts of organo-modified clay (Cloisite<sup>®</sup> 15A) to improve the performance of a ternary blend made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Rather than looking for the inherent reinforcing action of the nanofiller, this goal is pursued by using nanoparticles as a clever means to manipulate the micro-scale arrangement of the polymer phases. Starting from theoretical calculations, we obtained a radical change in the blend microstructure upon the addition of only 2-wt.% of nanoclay, with the obtaining of a finer morphology with an intimate interpenetration of the polymeric phases. Rather than on flexural and impact properties, this microstructure, deliberately promoted by nanoparticles, led to a substantial increase (>50 °C) of a softening temperature conventionally defined from dynamic-mechanical measurements. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:56:26Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5ea5e7d8c89045ac9ab2c643d2a6500c |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2073-4360 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T15:56:26Z |
| publishDate | 2022-12-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Polymers |
| spelling | doaj.art-5ea5e7d8c89045ac9ab2c643d2a6500c2023-11-24T17:31:17ZengMDPI AGPolymers2073-43602022-12-011424539010.3390/polym14245390Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled PlasticsAngela Marotta0Andrea Causa1Martina Salzano de Luna2Veronica Ambrogi3Giovanni Filippone4Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyPirelli Tyre S. p. A., R&D, Viale Piero e Alberto Pirelli 25, 20126 Milan, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyDipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, ItalyDue to a very low mixing entropy, most of the polymer pairs are immiscible. As a result, mixing polymers of different natures in a typical mechanical recycling process leads to materials with multiple interfaces and scarce interfacial adhesion and, consequently, with unacceptably low mechanical properties. Adding nanoparticles to multiphase polymeric matrices represents a viable route to mitigate this drawback of recycled plastics. Here, we use low amounts of organo-modified clay (Cloisite<sup>®</sup> 15A) to improve the performance of a ternary blend made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Rather than looking for the inherent reinforcing action of the nanofiller, this goal is pursued by using nanoparticles as a clever means to manipulate the micro-scale arrangement of the polymer phases. Starting from theoretical calculations, we obtained a radical change in the blend microstructure upon the addition of only 2-wt.% of nanoclay, with the obtaining of a finer morphology with an intimate interpenetration of the polymeric phases. Rather than on flexural and impact properties, this microstructure, deliberately promoted by nanoparticles, led to a substantial increase (>50 °C) of a softening temperature conventionally defined from dynamic-mechanical measurements.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/24/5390polymer blendsnanoclayhigh density polyethylenepolypropylenepolyethyleneterephtalemorphology |
| spellingShingle | Angela Marotta Andrea Causa Martina Salzano de Luna Veronica Ambrogi Giovanni Filippone Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics Polymers polymer blends nanoclay high density polyethylene polypropylene polyethyleneterephtale morphology |
| title | Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics |
| title_full | Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics |
| title_fullStr | Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics |
| title_short | Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics |
| title_sort | tuning the morphology of hdpe pp pet ternary blends by nanoparticles a simple way to improve the performance of mixed recycled plastics |
| topic | polymer blends nanoclay high density polyethylene polypropylene polyethyleneterephtale morphology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4360/14/24/5390 |
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