TY - JOUR
T1 - Eco-friendly green composites reinforced with recycled polyethylene for engineering applications
AU - Azeko, Salifu Tahiru
AU - Mensah, Jacob Kofi
AU - Arthur, Emmanuel Kwesi
AU - Abiwu, Napoleon
AU - Flomo, Moses Kingsford
AU - Boadu, Joseph Asiamah
AU - Yamba, Philip
AU - Larson, Enoch Asuako
AU - Akayeti, Anthony
AU - Satankar, Raj Kumar
AU - Annan, Ebenezer
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023, The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Japan KK, part of Springer Nature.
PY - 2023/7
Y1 - 2023/7
N2 - Polyethylene (PE) and cement are industrial products that promote environmental pollution. These products when exposed on the landfill have tremendous effects on the lives of humanity and other living creatures, including animals. Therefore, this research presents the results of experimental and theoretical modeling of green composites (without the inclusion of cement) reinforced with recycled polyethylene waste for applications in the Mechanical and Civil Engineering industry. The composites are produced using different weight fractions of laterite and molten PE mixed homogeneously to produce unique green composites with excellent mechanical properties. The green composite with 40 wt.% laterites and 60 wt.% PE exhibited the highest compressive strength, flexural strength and fracture toughness of 25 MPa, 7.3 MPa and 0.6MPam , respectively. Additionally, the green composite recorded maximum yield stress of ∼ 2 MP . The maximum yield stress of the green composites falls under the minimum range of yield stress for traditional concrete structures. The SEM images reveal evidence of bonding and ligament bridging in the green composites reinforced with 40 wt.% laterites and 60 wt.% PE. The probability distribution plots show that the polyethylene in the green composites follows the Weibull distribution with low Anderson Darling Statics and p-values greater than significance level of 5%. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - Polyethylene (PE) and cement are industrial products that promote environmental pollution. These products when exposed on the landfill have tremendous effects on the lives of humanity and other living creatures, including animals. Therefore, this research presents the results of experimental and theoretical modeling of green composites (without the inclusion of cement) reinforced with recycled polyethylene waste for applications in the Mechanical and Civil Engineering industry. The composites are produced using different weight fractions of laterite and molten PE mixed homogeneously to produce unique green composites with excellent mechanical properties. The green composite with 40 wt.% laterites and 60 wt.% PE exhibited the highest compressive strength, flexural strength and fracture toughness of 25 MPa, 7.3 MPa and 0.6MPam , respectively. Additionally, the green composite recorded maximum yield stress of ∼ 2 MP . The maximum yield stress of the green composites falls under the minimum range of yield stress for traditional concrete structures. The SEM images reveal evidence of bonding and ligament bridging in the green composites reinforced with 40 wt.% laterites and 60 wt.% PE. The probability distribution plots show that the polyethylene in the green composites follows the Weibull distribution with low Anderson Darling Statics and p-values greater than significance level of 5%. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - Mechanical properties
KW - Polymer-matrix composites
KW - Recycling
KW - Scanning electron microscopy
KW - Stress concentration
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160248212&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s10163-023-01701-z
DO - 10.1007/s10163-023-01701-z
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85160248212
SN - 1438-4957
VL - 25
SP - 2431
EP - 2441
JO - Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management
JF - Journal of Material Cycles and Waste Management
IS - 4
ER -