The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite

Rotational molding is a technology in which polymeric thin-walled products can be made. The newest descriptions of this technology concern the possibility of obtaining polymer composite materials. There are two main methods of incorporating fillers into a polymer matrix. Dry blending is based on mix...

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Main Authors: Joanna Aniśko, Mateusz Barczewski, Adam Piasecki, Katarzyna Skórczewska, Joanna Szulc, Marek Szostak
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-08-01
Series:Materials
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/17/5903
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author Joanna Aniśko
Mateusz Barczewski
Adam Piasecki
Katarzyna Skórczewska
Joanna Szulc
Marek Szostak
author_facet Joanna Aniśko
Mateusz Barczewski
Adam Piasecki
Katarzyna Skórczewska
Joanna Szulc
Marek Szostak
author_sort Joanna Aniśko
collection DOAJ
description Rotational molding is a technology in which polymeric thin-walled products can be made. The newest descriptions of this technology concern the possibility of obtaining polymer composite materials. There are two main methods of incorporating fillers into a polymer matrix. Dry blending is based on mixing fillers with polymer powders before rotational molding by hand or using automatic mixers. In the melt compounding method, fillers are mixed with the polymer in the preliminary step by melt processing and then grinding or pulverization to obtain polymer powders for rotational molding. This work aimed to investigate the impact of the processing procedure on the structure and properties of biobased composites with expanded vermiculite. Produced rotomolded parts were examined using mechanical tests to assess changes in tensile, flexural, and impact properties. The most significant difference in mechanical properties was noted for samples with 10 wt% expanded vermiculite (EV). The elasticity modulus increases by almost 2 fold when the sample is prepared in a two-step process, the tensile strength is 4-fold higher, the flexural modulus is 3-fold higher, and the flexural strength is 5-fold higher. We also investigated thermomechanical properties in DMA measurement. The void volume content was also measured to control the quality of obtained parts. The porosity of dry blended samples containing more than 2 wt% EV is almost 2-fold higher. Other methods to control quality and structure were optical and scanning electron microscopy used for rotomolded parts and polymer powders. The investigations of rotomolded parts were supplemented with a complete description of used materials, including the particle size distributions of polymer powders and filler. Analysis of the thermal properties and chemical structure was also performed despite all the mechanical tests. The emerging conclusions from the research clearly show that the two-step process allows for achieving a more beneficial mechanical performance of the composites made of the biobased polymer in rotational molding technology.
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spelling doaj.art-b7adbf74215d4cc8a272a85f259325312023-11-23T13:32:08ZengMDPI AGMaterials1996-19442022-08-011517590310.3390/ma15175903The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded VermiculiteJoanna Aniśko0Mateusz Barczewski1Adam Piasecki2Katarzyna Skórczewska3Joanna Szulc4Marek Szostak5Institute of Materials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-139 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Materials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-139 Poznan, PolandInstitute of Materials Engineering, Faculty of Materials Engineering and Technical Physics, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-138 Poznan, PolandFaculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Technology, Seminaryjna 3, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, PolandFaculty of Chemical Technology and Engineering, Bydgoszcz University of Technology, Seminaryjna 3, 85-326 Bydgoszcz, PolandInstitute of Materials Technology, Faculty of Mechanical Engineering, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 61-139 Poznan, PolandRotational molding is a technology in which polymeric thin-walled products can be made. The newest descriptions of this technology concern the possibility of obtaining polymer composite materials. There are two main methods of incorporating fillers into a polymer matrix. Dry blending is based on mixing fillers with polymer powders before rotational molding by hand or using automatic mixers. In the melt compounding method, fillers are mixed with the polymer in the preliminary step by melt processing and then grinding or pulverization to obtain polymer powders for rotational molding. This work aimed to investigate the impact of the processing procedure on the structure and properties of biobased composites with expanded vermiculite. Produced rotomolded parts were examined using mechanical tests to assess changes in tensile, flexural, and impact properties. The most significant difference in mechanical properties was noted for samples with 10 wt% expanded vermiculite (EV). The elasticity modulus increases by almost 2 fold when the sample is prepared in a two-step process, the tensile strength is 4-fold higher, the flexural modulus is 3-fold higher, and the flexural strength is 5-fold higher. We also investigated thermomechanical properties in DMA measurement. The void volume content was also measured to control the quality of obtained parts. The porosity of dry blended samples containing more than 2 wt% EV is almost 2-fold higher. Other methods to control quality and structure were optical and scanning electron microscopy used for rotomolded parts and polymer powders. The investigations of rotomolded parts were supplemented with a complete description of used materials, including the particle size distributions of polymer powders and filler. Analysis of the thermal properties and chemical structure was also performed despite all the mechanical tests. The emerging conclusions from the research clearly show that the two-step process allows for achieving a more beneficial mechanical performance of the composites made of the biobased polymer in rotational molding technology.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/17/5903rotational moldingbio-polyethylenecompositevermiculite
spellingShingle Joanna Aniśko
Mateusz Barczewski
Adam Piasecki
Katarzyna Skórczewska
Joanna Szulc
Marek Szostak
The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite
Materials
rotational molding
bio-polyethylene
composite
vermiculite
title The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite
title_full The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite
title_fullStr The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite
title_full_unstemmed The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite
title_short The Relationship between a Rotational Molding Processing Procedure and the Structure and Properties of Biobased Polyethylene Composites Filled with Expanded Vermiculite
title_sort relationship between a rotational molding processing procedure and the structure and properties of biobased polyethylene composites filled with expanded vermiculite
topic rotational molding
bio-polyethylene
composite
vermiculite
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1944/15/17/5903
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