Fabrication of Recycled High Density Polyethylene composite with Natural Filler Pine-dust: Effect of Morphological Structure on Mechanical Properties

Abstract

In the contemporary ere, composite plastics stand out as one of the most versatile engineering materials. The progress in materials science and technology, coupled with growing demands, has given rise to these remarkable and highly intriguing materials. This study explores the integration of pine-dust, a byproduct of the furniture industry, into recycled High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) to create composites and assess its impact on morphology, mechanical properties, and water absorption characteristic of the composite. This study involved the examination of pine-dust categorized into three distinct size ranges: particles ranging from 425 μm to 1000 μm, particles between 212 μm and 425 μm, and particles smaller than 212 μm. Each of these particle sizes was then integrated into recycled High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) at various inclusion levels, specifically 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30%. The fabrication of the composite materials was achieved through a single screw extruder extraction process