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Study of the flexural Modulus and the Micromechanics of Old Newspaper Reinforced Polypropylene Composites

The inclusion of old newspaper as reinforcement in composites promotes the use of environmentally friendly materials, reduces landfilling, decreases chemical treatments to bleach the recycled paper, and provides alternatives to glass fiber. While there are studies on the tensile strength and stiffness of old newspaper reinforced materials, there is a lack of analysis of their flexural properties. Considering that bending loads are very common, the flexural stiffness of the materials must be examined prior to industrial use. In this study, the flexural moduli of composites made from old newspaper fibers and polypropylene were compared with other composites. The composites showed moduli ranging from 2.1 to 4.1 GPa, and a composite with 50% newspaper content had a flexural modulus comparable to 10% glass fiber composite. These values allow an industrial use of the composites for semi-structural purposes. A method to assess the intrinsic flexural modulus of the reinforcements was presented and evaluated against other micromechanics models. The value of the efficiency factors and a mean orientation angle were also obtained

North Carolina State University. Dept of Wood Paper Science, College of Natural Resources

Author: Espinach Orús, Xavier
Chamorro Trenado, Miquel Àngel
Llorens Sulivera, Joan
Tresserras Picas, Josep
Pellicer Johera, Neus
Vilaseca Morera, Fabiola
Pèlach Serra, Maria Àngels
Date: 2020 February 15
Abstract: The inclusion of old newspaper as reinforcement in composites promotes the use of environmentally friendly materials, reduces landfilling, decreases chemical treatments to bleach the recycled paper, and provides alternatives to glass fiber. While there are studies on the tensile strength and stiffness of old newspaper reinforced materials, there is a lack of analysis of their flexural properties. Considering that bending loads are very common, the flexural stiffness of the materials must be examined prior to industrial use. In this study, the flexural moduli of composites made from old newspaper fibers and polypropylene were compared with other composites. The composites showed moduli ranging from 2.1 to 4.1 GPa, and a composite with 50% newspaper content had a flexural modulus comparable to 10% glass fiber composite. These values allow an industrial use of the composites for semi-structural purposes. A method to assess the intrinsic flexural modulus of the reinforcements was presented and evaluated against other micromechanics models. The value of the efficiency factors and a mean orientation angle were also obtained
Document access: http://hdl.handle.net/2072/373294
Language: eng
Publisher: North Carolina State University. Dept of Wood Paper Science, College of Natural Resources
Rights: Tots els drets reservats
Subject: Polipropilè
Polypropylene
Micromecànica
Micromechanics
Paper vell -- Reciclatge
Waste paper -- Recycling
Title: Study of the flexural Modulus and the Micromechanics of Old Newspaper Reinforced Polypropylene Composites
Type: info:eu-repo/semantics/article
Repository: Recercat

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