Mejoramiento de las propiedades mecánicas del Polipropileno Reciclado mediante adición de fibras vegetales, Polietilen Terftalato y tratamiento térmico.

Abstract

In solid plastic waste, polypropylene is one of the thermoplastics with the highest consumption in urban areas and, therefore, the one with the highest waste generation. In this sense, mechanical recycling is the simplest application technique taking advantage of the waste of the same family of thermoplastics that conditioned with other fibers allow the improvement of their properties, through the elaboration of composites with natural or synthetic fibers. This study aims to analyze the most important properties of compounds made of polypropylene with natural fibers: banana and abaca; polypropylene compounds with polyethylene terephthalate in different concentrations, with and without couplant; and a heat treatment for the improvement of the recycled polypropylene matrix. Samples are obtained by single screw extrusion at different temperature profiles and concentrations of added fiber. The heat treatment of polypropylene is proposed by measuring the degree of crystallization that is generated. Subsequently, the calorimetry of traction, flexion and differential sweep of good workability compounds is measured using terphthalic anhydrous coupler. The results show improvements in tensile and bending properties at the time of addition of the coupling agent in both compounds and with low concentrations of reinforcing fiber.