Abstract

There is a growing use of polymers in different applications worldwide. This phenomenon resulted in an enormous increase in the amount of plastic waste. These wastes have significant impacts on the environment including pollution and depletion of resources. Recycling plastic waste and reusing it helps in alleviating environmental degradation. The amount of recycled plastics all over the world not utilized is huge. U.S.A recycled 5.7% of the total plastics generated and Western Europe recycled 39% of total amount of plastics consumed [1]. This research studies the potential usage of virgin and recycled polymer reinforced with natural fiber such as rice straw to produce high value products that have technical, economical and environmental demand. The use of fiber reinforced polymer became popular during the last ten years. The reinforcing material is embedded in the matrix material to improve its mechanical and physical properties; reinforcing plastic waste with natural fiber is a new trend to enhance the mechanical properties of this composite material. In this study, a composite material was developed using Low density polyethylene (virgin and recycled) as a matrix reinforced with treated rice straw. Tensile and flexural behaviors of the synthelengthd composite were investigated. The results were promising showing an enhancement in the mechanical properties of the virgin polymer composite compared to the virgin polymer. The flexural stress of the composite increased three times the virgin flexural stress. While the tensile stress increased from eight times the original tensile stress. However the enhancement for the recycled composite represented two times the original flexural stress and four times the original tensile stress. In an attempt to improve the mechanical properties of the recycled polymer composite, rice straw treatment through carbonization as a reinforcement was investigated and proved higher tensile stress than the chemically treated rice straw by eight times the tensile stress recycled treated and non carbonized fiber , thus approaching the value of the virgin LDPE composite. With this new material produced entirely out of waste, this product will reduce the detrimental problem of solid waste to the environment including saving energy, water and cost. The problem of depletion of natural resources will be minimized. The current practice of disposing plastic waste will decrease as waste will be utilized with high quality. Also the current practice of burning rice straw will be restrained. Finally, an innovative, clean, cheap and effective yet simple technology with different procedures was introduced in this thesis research to determine the suitability of fiber reinforced composites techniques worldwide. There is a growing use of polymers in different applications worldwide. This phenomenon resulted in an enormous increase in the amount of plastic waste. These wastes have significant impacts on the environment including pollution and depletion of resources. Recycling plastic waste and reusing it helps in alleviating environmental degradation. The amount of recycled plastics all over the world not utilized is huge. U.S.A recycled 5.7% of the total plastics generated and Western Europe recycled 39% of total amount of plastics consumed [1]. This research studies the potential usage of virgin and recycled polymer reinforced with natural fiber such as rice straw to produce high value products that have technical, economical and environmental demand. The use of fiber reinforced polymer became popular during the last ten years. The reinforcing material is embedded in the matrix material to improve its mechanical and physical properties; reinforcing plastic waste with natural fiber is a new trend to enhance the mechanical properties of this composite material. In this study, a composite material was developed using Low density polyethylene (virgin and recycled) as a matrix reinforced with treated rice straw. Tensile and flexural behaviors of the synthelengthd composite were investigated. The results were promising showing an enhancement in the mechanical properties of the virgin polymer composite compared to the virgin polymer. The flexural stress of the composite increased three times the virgin flexural stress. While the tensile stress increased from eight times the original tensile stress. However the enhancement for the recycled composite represented two times the original flexural stress and four times the original tensile stress. In an attempt to improve the mechanical properties of the recycled polymer composite, rice straw treatment through carbonization as a reinforcement was investigated and proved higher tensile stress than the chemically treated rice straw by eight times the tensile stress recycled treated and non carbonized fiber , thus approaching the value of the virgin LDPE composite. With this new material produced entirely out of waste, this product will reduce the detrimental problem of solid waste to the environment including saving energy, water and cost. The problem of depletion of natural resources will be minimized. The current practice of disposing plastic waste will decrease as waste will be utilized with high quality. Also the current practice of burning rice straw will be restrained. Finally, an innovative, clean, cheap and effective yet simple technology with different procedures was introduced in this thesis research to determine the suitability of fiber reinforced composites techniques worldwide.

School

School of Sciences and Engineering

Department

Mechanical Engineering Department

Degree Name

MS in Mechanical Engineering

Graduation Date

Spring 2011

Submission Date

5-29-2011

First Advisor

Elhaggar, Salah

Committee Member 1

[not provided]

Committee Member 2

[not provided]

Extent

86 leaves

Document Type

Master's Thesis

Institutional Review Board (IRB) Approval

Not necessary for this item

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