EFFECT OF IMPERATA CYLINDRICA REINFORCEMENT FORM ON THE TENSILE AND IMPACT PROPERTIES OF ITS COMPOSITES WITH RECYCLED LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE

Abstract

Composites of recycled low-density polyethylene obtained from waste water-sachets and imperata cylindrica were produced with particulate and long-fibre unidirectional mat reinforcements. Comparison was made of the tensile and impact properties resulting from the use of the different reinforcement forms at 10 wt% ratio in the matrix. The results obtained from the tests carried out revealed that tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break and impact strength of the composite with the long-fibre mat reinforcement were better than those of the one composite with the particulate reinforcement. The better performance observed in the long-fibre mat reinforcement could be attributed to the retention of the toughness and stiffness of the imperata cylindrica stem in this form of reinforcement, which is lost after the stem strands are pulverized into particles. Imperata cylindrica stem, as a natural fibre reinforcement for polymetric material is, therefore, recommended in the long-fibre mat form. The combination of these otherwise challenging resources in composite materials development will add economic value to them and help to reduce the nvironmental menace they present.