Comparison of Reinforcement Loading on the Mechanical and Physical Properties of Palm Trunk Ash and Polyethene Composites

Abstract

A comparison experiment of reinforcement loading on the physical and mechanical properties of palm trunk ash and polyethene composites was carried out. The effect of physical and mechanical properties of reinforced low density polyethylene of both virgin and recycled with palm trunk ash was compared using tensile test, hardness test, flexural test and micro structural test determination. The equipment used in determining physical and mechanical properties of the composites materials  include metal mould, sieves, digital weighing balance, hack saw, grinding machine, tensometer, universal material tester, digital Rockwell hardness tester and optical micro structural microscope. The matrix materials used for the formation of the composites are the virgin and recycled low density polyethene and palm trunk ash was used as filler material. The composites were prepared using percentage weight of 0%,10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% of palm trunk ash. The conversion of waste materials to a valuable product was the major target of the author and the results showed that palm trunk ash (PTA) can be used as a reinforcing material on polymeric matrices of both virgin and recycled polyethene. The results of the RLDPE-PTA and VDPE-PTA showed that the virgin material was more effective than the recycled material and the quality of the recycled composites can be increased with an increase in the PTA. The Palm trunk ash at 50% increases the tensile strength thereby increasing the brittleness of the material and reducing the ductility. The tensile strength of VDPE-PTA and RLDPE-PTA obtained showed that proper mixture of palm trunk ash and low density polyethene composite are good engineering materials for reinforcement loading. The increase in PTA also decreases the flexural strength of the composite materials which shows that the 0% PTA composite materials have the highest flexural strength. It was also observed that the melting point of the composite materials increase with increase in palm trunk ash of both VDPE-PTA and RLDPE-PTA.

Keywords: Comparison, Reinforcement, Properties, Palm Trunk Ash, Polyethene, Composites