Mechanical properties of recycled polyethylene ecocomposites filled with natural organic fillers

Abstract

The use of natural organic fillers in addition to postconsumer recycled polymers is getting a growing interest during the last years; this is due to many advantages they can provide in terms of cost, aesthetic properties, environmental impact. In this work, several types of wood flour (differing each other with regard to production source and particle size) were added to a recycled polyethylene coming from films for greenhouses and the effects of filler type, content, and size were investigated. Investigation was then focused on the improvement of mechanical properties, through the addition of polar copolymers (ethylene-co-acrylic acid, ethylene-vinyl acetate) and a maleic anhydride-grafted-grafted polyethylene (Licocene® PE MA 4351 TP), in order to try to overcome the poor adhesion between polar filler particles and nonpolar polymer chains. Investigation was also based on SEM micrographs. An overall positive influence of these additives was observed.