REINFORCEMENT OF RECYCLED POLYOLEFINS WITH WOOD FIBERS

In this work recycled polyolefins from municipal solid wastes, composed of 95% polyethylene (PE) and 5% polypropylene (PP), are reinforced with chemicothermomechanical pulp fiber, and the resulting material is formed by compression and injection molding. Tensile properties are presented as function of fiber concentration, fiber surface treatment with acetic anhydride and phenol-formaldehyde, and sample storage time in water. Strength and toughness of the recycled polyolefins were increased with addition of non-treated fiber. Addition of 30% fiber, by weight, in the polymer matrix, increased its Young modulus up to 150%. Composites with 10% of treated fiber showed generally higher tensile properties than those containing 10% of non-treated fiber. For composites made with treated fiber, water sorption during storage time was lower and mechanical properties remained higher, compared with composites made from non-treated fiber.