Kasama, Jarukumjorn

Suranaree University of Technology Intellectual Repository

COMPATIBILIZATION OF RECYCLED HIGH DENSITYPOLYETHYLENE (HDPE)/POLYETHYLENE TEREPHTHA-LATE (PET) BLENDSKasama  Jarukumjorn* and Sukunya  ChareunkvunReceived: May 18, 2006; Revised: Oct 13, 2006; Accepted: Nov 15, 2006AbstractImmiscible blends of recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethylene terephthalate (PET)were compatibilized with maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (PE-g-MA). The effect of thecompatibilizer content on the mechanical, morphological, rheological, and thermal properties ofrecycled HDPE/PET blends was investigated. The blends were prepared in a twin screw extruder.Tensile strength, tensile strain at break, and impact strength improved with the addition of thecompatibilizer. The compatibilized blends had a smaller size of dispersed phase compared with theuncompatibilized blends. The addition of the compatibilizer increased the melt viscosity of thecompatibilized blends. The compatibilizer affected on the crystallinity behavior of the blends.Keywords: HDPE/PET blend, PE-g-MA, compatibilization, recyclingIntroductionHigh density polyethylene (HDPE) and polyethy-lene terephthalate (PET) have been widely usedin packaging applications and constitute a largeportion of post-consumer wastes. Recyclingoffers an alternative solution for handlingplastic wastes. A mechanical recycling methodwhich involves blending of the plastics is oneof the solutions for recycling plastics. However,the immiscibility of HDPE and PET leads topoor interfacial adhesion and mechanicalproperties. The compatibility of immiscibleblends can be improved by reactive andnon-reactive compatibilization. The reductionof interfacial tension and improvement ofinterfacial adhesion and dispersion areobtained. (Baker et al., 2001)Several researchers have studied thecompatibilization of HDPE/PET blends usingcompatibilizers. Dagli and Kamdar (1994)discussed the effects of component addition onthe reactive compatibilization of HDPE/PETblends. Ethylene glycidyl methacrylate copoly-mer (EGMA) was very effective in compa-tibilization of the blends. The different  sequencesand modes of component addition  affected themechanical and morphological properties of theblends. The best properties were obtained whenEGMA was blended first with HDPE and thenwith PET. Guerrero et al. (2001) studied theeffect of a copolymer of ethylene and methacrylicSchool of Polymer Engineering, Institute of Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology,Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, Thailand, E-mail: kasama@g.sut.ac.th* Corresponding authorSuranaree J. Sci. Technol. 14(1):1-8

Compatibilization of recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blends

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Compatibilization of recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE)/polyethylene terephthalate (PET) blends

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