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Marotta A, Causa A, Salzano de Luna M, Ambrogi V, Filippone G. Tuning the Morphology of HDPE/PP/PET Ternary Blends by Nanoparticles: A Simple Way to Improve the Performance of Mixed Recycled Plastics. Polymers (Basel) 2022; 14:polym14245390. [PMID: 36559757 PMCID: PMC9782910 DOI: 10.3390/polym14245390] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/17/2022] [Revised: 12/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/06/2022] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Due to a very low mixing entropy, most of the polymer pairs are immiscible. As a result, mixing polymers of different natures in a typical mechanical recycling process leads to materials with multiple interfaces and scarce interfacial adhesion and, consequently, with unacceptably low mechanical properties. Adding nanoparticles to multiphase polymeric matrices represents a viable route to mitigate this drawback of recycled plastics. Here, we use low amounts of organo-modified clay (Cloisite® 15A) to improve the performance of a ternary blend made of high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephtalate (PET). Rather than looking for the inherent reinforcing action of the nanofiller, this goal is pursued by using nanoparticles as a clever means to manipulate the micro-scale arrangement of the polymer phases. Starting from theoretical calculations, we obtained a radical change in the blend microstructure upon the addition of only 2-wt.% of nanoclay, with the obtaining of a finer morphology with an intimate interpenetration of the polymeric phases. Rather than on flexural and impact properties, this microstructure, deliberately promoted by nanoparticles, led to a substantial increase (>50 °C) of a softening temperature conventionally defined from dynamic-mechanical measurements.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela Marotta
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Andrea Causa
- Pirelli Tyre S. p. A., R&D, Viale Piero e Alberto Pirelli 25, 20126 Milan, Italy
| | - Martina Salzano de Luna
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Veronica Ambrogi
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
| | - Giovanni Filippone
- Dipartimento di Ingegneria Chimica, dei Materiali e della Produzione Industriale (INSTM Consortium–UdR Naples), University of Naples Federico II, P.le Tecchio 80, 80125 Naples, Italy
- Correspondence:
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Kanani Aghkand Z, Saffar A, Ajji A. Effect of Back‐layer on seal performance of multilayer polyethylene‐based sealant films. J Appl Polym Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1002/app.50742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Zahra Kanani Aghkand
- 3SPack, CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering École Polytechnique de Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
| | - Amir Saffar
- 3SPack, CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering École Polytechnique de Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
| | - Abdellah Ajji
- 3SPack, CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering École Polytechnique de Montréal Montréal Québec Canada
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3
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Nucleation modalities in poly(lactide), poly(butylene succinate), and poly(ε‐caprolactone) ternary blends with partial wetting morphology. POLYMER CRYSTALLIZATION 2020. [DOI: 10.1002/pcr2.10145] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/07/2022]
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4
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Fenni SE, Wang J, Haddaoui N, Favis BD, Müller AJ, Cavallo D. Nucleation of Poly(lactide) Partially Wet Droplets in Ternary Blends with Poly(butylene succinate) and Poly(ε-caprolactone). Macromolecules 2020; 53:1726-1735. [PMID: 33814614 PMCID: PMC8016171 DOI: 10.1021/acs.macromol.9b02295] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/01/2019] [Revised: 12/28/2019] [Indexed: 02/01/2023]
Abstract
This work presents the first investigation on the crystallization behavior of partially wet droplets in immiscible ternary blends. Poly(lactide), poly(ε-caprolactone), and poly(butylene succinate) (PLA, PCL, and PBS, respectively) were melt blended in a 10/45/45 weight ratio to produce a "partial wetting" morphology with droplets of the PLA minor phase located at the interface between the other two major components. The crystallization process of the higher melting PLA droplets was studied by polarized light optical microscopy, while the other components remain in the molten state. We found that neighboring partially wet droplets nucleate in close sequence. This is unexpected since partially wet droplets display points of three-phase contact and, hence, should not touch each other. Moreover, the onset of poly(lactide) crystallization is frequently observed at the interface with molten PCL or PBS, with a significant preference for the former polymer. The observed sequential droplet-to-droplet crystallization is attributed to the weak partial wetting behavior of the PCL/PLA/PBS ternary system. In fact, the contact between the interfacially confined droplets during crystallization due to their mobility can lead to a transition from a partial to a completely wet state, with the formation of thin continuous layers bridging larger partially wet droplets. This allows crystallization to spread sequentially between neighboring domains. Using a simple heterogeneous nucleation model, it is shown that the nucleation of PLA on either PCL or PBS melts is energetically feasible. This study establishes a clear relationship between the unique partial wetting morphology of ternary blends and the nucleation of the minor component, paving the way to the understanding and control of crystallization in multiphasic polymer blends for advanced applications.
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Affiliation(s)
- Seif Eddine Fenni
- Department
of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University
of Genova, via Dodecaneso, 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
- Laboratory
of Physical-Chemistry of High Polymers (LPCHP), Faculty of Technology, University of Ferhat ABBAS Sétif-1, 19000 Sétif, Algeria
| | - Jun Wang
- CREPEC,
Department of Chemical Engineering, École
Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C3A7, Canada
| | - Nacerddine Haddaoui
- Laboratory
of Physical-Chemistry of High Polymers (LPCHP), Faculty of Technology, University of Ferhat ABBAS Sétif-1, 19000 Sétif, Algeria
| | - Basil D. Favis
- CREPEC,
Department of Chemical Engineering, École
Polytechnique de Montréal, Montréal, Québec H3C3A7, Canada
| | - Alejandro J. Müller
- POLYMAT
and Polymer Science and Technology Department, Faculty of Chemistry, University of the Basque Country UPV/EHU, Paseo Manuel de Lardizábal
3, 20018 Donostia-San
Sebastián, Spain
- IKERBASQUE, Basque Foundation for Science, 48013 Bilbao, Spain
| | - Dario Cavallo
- Department
of Chemistry and Industrial Chemistry, University
of Genova, via Dodecaneso, 31, 16146 Genova, Italy
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Zolali AM, Favis BD. Partial and Complete Wetting in Ultralow Interfacial Tension Multiphase Blends with Polylactide. J Phys Chem B 2016; 120:12708-12719. [PMID: 27973831 DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpcb.6b08800] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
The control of phase structuring in multiphase blends of polylactide (PLA) with other polymers is a viable approach to promote its broader implementation. In this article, ternary and quaternary blends of PLA with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS), poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), and poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-hydroxyvalerate) (PHBV) are prepared by melt blending. The interfacial tensions between components are measured using three different techniques, and a Fourier transform infrared imaging technique is developed for the purpose of unambiguous phase identification. A tricontinuous complete wetting behavior is observed for the ternary 33PLA/33PBS/33PBAT blend before and after quiescent annealing, which correlates closely with spreading theory analysis. In the quaternary PLA/PBS/PBAT/PHBV blend, a concentration-dependent wetting behavior is found. At 10 vol % PBAT, self-assembled partially wet droplets of PBAT are observed at the interface of PBS and PHBV, and they remain stable after quiescent annealing as predicted by spreading theory. In contrast, at 25 vol % PBAT, a quadruple continuous system is observed after mixing, which only transforms to partially wet PBAT droplets after subsequent annealing. These results clearly indicate the potential of composition control during the mixing of multiphase systems to result in a complete change of spreading behavior.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ali M Zolali
- CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal , Montréal, Quebec, Canada H3C3A7
| | - Basil D Favis
- CREPEC, Department of Chemical Engineering, École Polytechnique de Montréal , Montréal, Quebec, Canada H3C3A7
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Ignatyev IA, Thielemans W, Vander Beke B. Recycling of polymers: a review. CHEMSUSCHEM 2014; 7:1579-93. [PMID: 24811748 DOI: 10.1002/cssc.201300898] [Citation(s) in RCA: 195] [Impact Index Per Article: 19.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/23/2013] [Revised: 12/09/2013] [Indexed: 05/21/2023]
Abstract
Plastics are inexpensive, easy to mold, and lightweight. These and many other advantages make them very promising candidates for commercial applications. In many areas, they have substantially suppressed traditional materials. However, the problem of recycling still is a major challenge. There are both technological and economic issues that restrain the progress in this field. Herein, a state-of-art overview of recycling is provided together with an outlook for the future by using popular polymers such as polyolefins, poly(vinyl chloride), polyurethane, and poly(ethylene terephthalate) as examples. Different types of recycling, primary, secondary, tertiary, quaternary, and biological recycling, are discussed together with related issues, such as compatibilization and cross-linking. There are various projects in the European Union on research and application of these recycling approaches; selected examples are provided in this article. Their progress is mirrored by granted patents, most of which have a very limited scope and narrowly cover certain technologies. Global introduction of waste utilization techniques to the polymer market is currently not fully developed, but has an enormous potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Igor A Ignatyev
- KU Leuven, Campus Kortrijk, Etienne Sabbelaan 53, 8500 Kortrijk (Belgium)
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