Green Chemistry & Technology Letters

ABITHA V K (abithavk@gmail.com)

POLYMER SCIENCE AND RUBBER TECHNOLOGY, COCHIN UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

June, 2015

Abitha V K (M.Tech.) is a Senior Research Fellow at the School of Chemical Sciences, International and Interuniversity Centre for Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Mahatma Gandhi University, India. She received her M.Tech in 2014 in Polymer Technology from the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT), Kerala, India. Her specialized areas of polymers which include Polymer blends, Fibre filled polymer composites, Particulate-filled polymer composites and their morphological characterization, Ageing and degradation, Green Chemistry, Polymer Recycling. She has 16 International and 13 National Publications to his credit, her 5 book chapters are in press.

Abstract

The concern for environment and sustainable growth has created more awareness among the researchers to develop composites based on recycled materials and materials from nature. Reuse and recycling extends the useful life of the raw material resources in instances where a market exists for the recycled products, and it is economical to carry out collection and reprocessing. Recycling and reuse of materials have been getting more interest now days. PDM/Polypropylene thermoplastic vulcanizates are most commonly used ones. In the current study reclaim EPDM and recycled polypropylene thermoplastic vulcanizates were prepared by melt blending method. Reclaim EPDM and Recycled PP has been melt blended in a Brabender plasticorder in different ratios and the blend with optimized results was selected, as well as Recycle polypropylene/ Reclaim Ethylene propylene Diene monomer coir pith composites have been prepared and developed for cost effective foot wear applications. A comparative study of composites in presence and absence of MA -g- EPDM was carried out and the effectiveness of the properties was determined. Coir pith in different ratios was added into Reclaim EPDM/Recycled Polypropylene blends along with MA-g-EPDM and other additives. Physico- mechanical and thermal properties of the coir pith Reclaim EPDM/Recycled PP composite has been carried out. The dispersion of coir pith in the matrix had been carried out by SEM analysis. It was found that the mechanical and thermal properties are increasing with the addition of compatibilizer as compared to the control one. SEM analysis showed that the compatibility between coir pith Recycled PP and reclaim EPDM has been improved by the addition of Maleic anhydride grafted EPDM as a compatibilizer and hence can be used as a low cost filler for foot wear soling application. References Toughening of PP/EPDM Blend by Compatibilization, Byoung chul kim,Seung sang, journal of polymer science (2000) Improvement of impact property of natural fiber–polypropylene composite by using natural rubber and EPDM rubber, Yupaporn Ruksakulpiwat , Jatuporn Sridee Composite Part B (2009) Polyolefin blends: effect of EPDM rubber on crystallization, morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene/EPDM blends. V. Choudhary, H. S. Varna, Polymer(1991) Brittle-tough transition in PP/EPDM blends: effects of inter particle distance and temperature ,Wei Jiang a, Chang-hai Liu a, Zhi-gang Wang, Polymer(1998) Dynamic mechanical and impact properties of EPDM/PP blends, J Karger Kocsis, Polymer (1981) Thermal and mechanical properties of EPDM/PP + thermal shock-resistant ceramic composites, Witold Brostow , Tea Datashvili, J.of.Mater.Sci.(2011) A Study of the Novel Intumescent Flame-Retarded PP/EPDM Copolymer Blends, Shun Zhou,1 Zhengzhou Wang, Journal of Applied polymer Science (2007) Selective crosslinking reaction in polymer blends Effect of crosslinking of Dispersed EPDM particle on the impact behavior of PP/EPDM, Toshio Inoue ,Tokuhito Suzuki, Journal Of Applied Polymer Science (1995) Effect of EPDM on Morphology, Mechanical Properties, Crystallization Behavior and Viscoelastic Properties of iPPHDPE Blends, Nina Vranjes, Vesna Rek, Macromolecule Symposium(2007)