Repurposing ABS to Produce Polyamide 6 (PA6)-Based Blends: Reactive Compatibilization with SAN-g-MA of a High Degree of Functionalization.

In this study, recycled acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene terpolymer (ABSr) was reused to produce polyamide 6 (PA6)-based blends. This was achieved through reactive compatibilization using styrene-acrylonitrile-maleic anhydride (SAN-g-MA) copolymer with a high degree of functionalization (6-10% MA). The PA6/ABSr and PA6/ABSr/SAN-g-MA blends were prepared through melt processing and injection molding and then analyzed for their rheological, mechanical, thermomechanical, thermal, and structural properties, as well as morphology.

From Waste to Styrene-Butadiene (SBR) Reuse: Developing PP/SBR/SEP Mixtures with Carbon Nanotubes for Antistatic Application.

Styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) waste from the shoe industry was repurposed to produce polypropylene (PP)-based compounds, with the aim of evaluating their antistatic potential. Styrene-ethylene-propylene (SEP) was added as a compatibilizing agent, while carbon nanotubes (MWCNT) were incorporated as a conductive nanofiller. The polymer compounds were processed in an internal mixer, and injection molded.

Toward Producing Biopolyethylene/Babassu Fiber Biocomposites with Improved Mechanical and Thermomechanical Properties.

The development of polymeric biocomposites containing natural fibers has grown over the years due to the properties achieved and its eco-friendly nature. Thus, biocomposites involving a polymer from a renewable source (Biopolyethylene (BioPE)) and babassu fibers (BFs), compatibilized with polyethylene grafted with maleic anhydride (MA) and acrylic acid (AA) (PE-g-MA and PE-g-AA, respectively) were obtained using melt mixing and injection molded into tensile, impact, and HDT specimens. Babassu fiber was characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetry (TGA), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).

Toward the Improvement of Maleic Anhydride Functionalization in Polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB): Effect of Styrene Monomer and Sn(Oct) Catalyst.

In this work, polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB) was maleic anhydride (MA)-grafted in the molten state, using dicumyl peroxide (DCP) as a reaction initiator. Tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (Sn(Oct)) and styrene monomer (St.) were used to maximize the maleic anhydride grafting degree.

Enzymatic and Synthetic Routes of Castor Oil Epoxidation.

Epoxidation of castor oil in synthetic and enzymatic routes was carried out in order to promote a system with less environmental impact. The epoxidation reactions of castor oil compounds upon addition of lipase enzyme with and without acrylic immobilization and with reaction times of 24 and 6 h, as well as the synthetic compounds upon addition of Amberlite resin and formic acid, were investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance in hydrogen molecules (H-NMR). The analysis indicated that the enzymatic reactions (6 h) and synthetic reactions provided a conversion from 50 to 96% and epoxidation from 25 to 48%, resulting from peak stretching and signal disintegration in the hydroxyl region due to the appearance of HO in the interaction of peracid with catalyst.

The Effect of ZnO on the Failure of PET by Environmental Stress Cracking.

The aim of the present work is to evaluate the effect of NaOH solution as a stress cracking agent on the thermal and tensile properties of PET and PET/ZnO composites. The solutions were applied during tensile testing and the effects were monitored by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and testing the actual mechanical properties. The rate of crystallization was increased when the samples were exposed to NaOH, as observed by both cold and melt crystallization; this is possibly due to the reduction in molar mass of the PET molecules caused by NaOH.

HDPE/Chitosan Composites Modified with PE-g-MA. Thermal, Morphological and Antibacterial Analysis.

In this work, composites of high density polyethylene (HDPE) with chitosan were prepared by melt compounding in a laboratory internal mixer. Maleic anhydride grafted HDPE (PE-g-MA) in a concentration up to 25 phr was used as a compatibilizer to enhance the dispersing effect of chitosan in the HDPE matrix. The degree of crystallinity was investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and the thermal properties were analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetry (TG).

Optimization of Epoxy Resin: An Investigation of Eggshell as a Synergic Filler.

Epoxy resin based on bisphenol A diglycidyl ether/anhydride methyl tetrahydrophthalic/2,4,6-tris(dimethylaminomethyl)phenol (DGEBA/MTHPA/DEH 35) was produced by magnetic stirring; chicken eggshell (ES) was added as cure improver. Thermal stability, cure parameters, mechanical properties, and fracture surface were investigated by thermogravimetry (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile experiments, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). In general, the addition of ES slightly decreased the thermal stability, being T 5% lower than that of the reference sample.

Effect of Babassu Natural Filler on PBAT/PHB Biodegradable Blends: An Investigation of Thermal, Mechanical, and Morphological Behavior.

Blending of biodegradable polymers in combination with low-price organic fillers has proven to be a suitable approach to produce cost-effective composites in order to address pollution issues and develop products with superior mechanical properties. In the present research work PBAT/PHB/Babassu composites with 25, 50, and 75% of each polymer and 20% of Babassu were produced by melting extrusion. Their thermal, mechanical, and morphological behavior was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), tensile testing, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM).