• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.54 no.4
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• pp.345-350
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• 2019

In this study, aliphatic polyketone (PK)/chopped carbon fiber (CCF) composites with various CCF contents were prepared using a modular intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder, and their mechanical and thermal properties such as tensile, flexural, and impact strength and thermal conductivity were investigated. The amount of CCF was increased from 0 to 50 wt%. The tensile and flexural strength of the PK/CCF composites increased as the CCF content increased, but the elongation at break and impact strength was lower than that of pure PK. Thermal properties such as heat distortion temperature and thermal conductivity increased as the CCF content increased. Morphological observations revealed that fiber orientation and interface adhesion between the PK and the CCF in the PK/CCF composites were formed due to the twin screw extrusion, which contributed to improving the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.195-203
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• 2011

Eco-friendly materials or bio-composites were made with poly(lactic acid) (PLA) as matrix polymer and kenaf fibers as filler. Also, acetylated kenaf fibers and compatibilizer were adopted in order to improve the interfacial adhesion between fiber and polymer. In this study, the effect of chemical modification and compatibilizer on the mechanical-viscoelastic and morphology properties of the bio-composites was discussed. The hydrophobic fibers by acetylation were known to show better interfacial bonding with the matrix polymer and resulted in improved performance and morphology. Viscoelastic property and glass transition temperature, however, were not nearly enhanced.

• Elastomers and Composites
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.131-141
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• 2004

The recycling of waste XLPE(crosslinked polyethylene), which is a major source of scraps from high voltage power transmission cables, has been discussed. The waste XLPE scraps were ground into fine powder with various sizes from less than $100{\mu}m$ up to about $1000{\mu}m$ using two types of tailor-made pulverizers. The compounds were prepared in a modular intermeshing co-rotating twin screw extruder at various conditions such as different compositions, types and powder sizes of waste XLPE, screw configurations and various polymer matrices (LDPE, HDPE, PP, PS). The mechanical and rheological properties and the fracture surface or the compounds were investigated. It was found that an improved impact strength was obtained from the compound with white XLPE powder pulverized from the scraps without outer/inner semi-conductive layers. Generally, the impact strength increases with the content of XLPE but decreases with the size of XLPE. Especially for LDPE, the extrusion was possible up to 80 wt% loading of XLPE. Also, the impact strength increases with the number of kneading disc blocks in the given screw configurations. The melt viscosity of the compounds increases with increasing XLPE loading. However, the higher shear thinning behavior of the compounds at common shear rates implies proper processibility of the compounds. In addition, the impact strength for other polymer matrices used increases with XLPE and it is noticeable that the impact strength of PS/XLPE (80/20 wt%) compound was improved twice that of pure PS.