Polyamide 12 Filled with Cross-Linked Polyethylene Waste: Processing, Compatibilization, and Properties

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is primarily used as a coating and insulator for electrical wires cables. The cross-links render recycling through remelting unfeasible, XLPE waste usually incinerated or sent to landfills. Previous investigations showed that increased the impact strength of commodity thermoplastics. Hence, incorporating in polyamide 12, an engineering thermoplastic, was studied using maleic anhydride grafted (PE-g-MA). Formulations were prepared co-rotating twin-screw extruder containing 20 wt% with 0, 2, 4, 8 compatibilizer. Test specimens injection-molded. DSC results adding compatibilizer reduced PA12 crystallinity but affected little melt crystallization temperatures. Morphological analyses revealed poor adhesion between 12 XLPE, which improved when PE-g-MA. lack added strongly reduces mechanical properties, except strength, by ca.120% compared formulation without XLPE; while 4 this increase ca. 140%. When PE-g-MA compatibilizer, some recovery achieved tensile strain at break, furthermore. Flexure HDT tests decrease stiffness after XLPE. Stiffness further compositions