Thermal Properties of High Density Polyethylene/Poly(Vinyl Alcohol) Fiber Composites Prepared Using Laboratory Mixing Extruder

Abstract

This paper focuses on the preparation of High Density Polyethylene/Poly (Vinyl Alcohol) Fiber composites which was fabricated via melt blending/compounding method using a Laboratory Mixing Extruder (LME). The effect of PVA fiber concentrations (i.e. 0, 5, 10, 20, 30 wt%) on the thermal properties (i.e. melting and crystallization) of the composites was investigated. The thermal properties of the composites were analysed using a Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC). The DSC analysis results exhibited that the presence of PVA fiber did not considerably change the melting and crystallization properties of the composites. The melting temperature (Tm) of all the composites samples were similar, which was in the range of 130 - 131 °C. The highest Tm was belong to sample PVAC-20 (i.e. 20 wt% PVA fiber). In the other hand, the crystallinity index (Xc) of the HPDE/PVA fiber composites decreased with the increase of PVA fiber concentrations. The Xc of the composites decreased from 56.7 % for PVAC-0 to 49.8 % for PVAC-20. Additionally, in term of crystallization behavior of the composites, the effect of PVA loadings on the crystallization temperature (Tc) of the composites was also not significant. The Tc of all composites samples were similar, which was about 115 °C. It can be suggested that the addition of PVA fiber did not affect the crystallization process of the matrix.