Developing composites from waste plastic and sawdust
| dc.contributor.author | Koranteng, Joyce | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2016-10-18T10:02:07Z | |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2023-04-19T13:45:17Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2016-10-18T10:02:07Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2023-04-19T13:45:17Z | |
| dc.date.issued | June, 2015 | |
| dc.description | A project report presented to the Department of Materials Engineering College of Engineering Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi in partial fulfillment of the requirements for MPhil, Materials Engineering. | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | The project proposes a key measure to prevent indiscriminate disposal of waste plastic sachet by investigation into the formulation of composite materials from the waste plastic using coconut oil as coupling agent and sawdust as filler. Composites were made by melting the plastics and the sawdust added. Hot-press mouldings of the composites with varying formulations of plastic: sawdust: coupling agent was made. The physical and mechanical properties of the composites were investigated. Porosity (24 h immersion), density (displacement method) as well as three-point flexural yield were examined. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with JEOL JSM-6390LV was performed on the fractured sample surfaces after flexural strength tests had been carried out. This work demonstrates that formulating composite using LDPE plastic with Ceiba pentandra sawdust and coconut oil produces composites with good physical and mechanical properties. Blending LDPE plastic with wood dust at 50:50 ratios and particle size 90-355 μm with coconut oil forming 10 wt % gives good formulation. The flexural strength was found to increase from 6.11 MPa to 3.94 MPa with increasing plastic loading of 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 wt %. Increasing fiber content of 60 wt % and 30 wt % plastic improved the stiffness of the composites Water absorption increased with increasing fiber content and particle size. The SEM analysis revealed that, samples with 10wt % coconut oil had comparatively no sign of fiber pullout and fewer voids. There were small discontinuities and a reasonably uniform distribution of saw dust particles in the LDPE matrix with samples containing 90-355 μm particles. Increasing plastic loading in the composite showed increase in compatibility and lesser voids as percentage of plastic loading increases. Therefore, composite based on formulating LPDE plastic and sawdust could have potential to use as construction panel for partitioning rooms. | en_US |
| dc.description.sponsorship | KNUST | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | https://ir.knust.edu.gh/handle/123456789/9293 | |
| dc.language.iso | en | en_US |
| dc.title | Developing composites from waste plastic and sawdust | en_US |
| dc.type | Thesis | en_US |
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