Polymers and Polymer Composites

STUDY ON DIELECTRIC, MECHANICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE (PP) COMPOSITES WITH GROUND TYRE RUBBER (GTR)

September 1, 2012 By: Mujal-Rosas R; Orrit- Prat J; Ramis-Juan X; Marin-Genesca M; Ahmed Rahhali Research article

Title: STUDY ON DIELECTRIC, MECHANICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE (PP) COMPOSITES WITH GROUND TYRE RUBBER (GTR)
Page Range: p.797-808
Author(s): Mujal-Rosas R; Orrit- Prat J; Ramis-Juan X; Marin-Genesca M; Ahmed Rahhali
File size: 641K
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Journal: Polymers and Polymer Composites
Issue Year: ppc
Volume: 20
Issue No: No.9

Abstract
Mass production of tyres and their subsequent storage after use is a serious environmental problem whose solution has been attempted in various ways. One of these is the mixture of old, used tyres (GTR) with various thermoplastic and thermostable polymers. These blends are made by modifying the pre-treatment to which the GTR is subjected, the degree of devulcanisation, the mixing or pressing conditions, etc. Later, the mixtures are analysed structurally and mechanically, looking for possible industrial applications. The present work aims to obtain materials suitable for the electrical industry from the mixture of polypropylene (PP) with old used tyres (GTR), starting from the requirement of minimum recycling costs, i.e. by using vulcanised GTR without any prior treatment, but acting on the particle sizes with a simple and inexpensive screening. A large number of composites have been analysed, and these have been submitted to dielectric, mechanical, thermal and microstructural examination. Composites were obtained using the three GTR particle sizes (p<200 mum, 200

500 mum), and the seven concentrations of GTR in the composite (0%, 5%, 10%, 20%, 40%, 50% and 70%), meaning a total of 21 new composites. In addition, in order to have the dielectric tests as exhaustive as possible and show the behaviour of the composite under widely changing conditions, a wide range of temperatures (30 deg.C to 120 deg.C) and frequencies (1(.)10-2 Hz and 3(.)106 Hz) were used. All these data have allowed an accurate characterisation of the properties of the new composites, and according to these results, possible electrical applications have been explored, with the requirement that they must comply with Official Regulations. 36 Refs.


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