Processamento do compósito LDPE/Al proveniente da reciclagem de embalagens cartonadas e desenvolvimento de suas modificações com fibras de madeira.

Abstract

The urban solid waste problem has been one of the biggest environmental challenges these days. The solution to this problem lies in integrated waste management, the objective is to minimize volumes sent to landfills. Recycling is a big part of this waste management process which involves the reprocessing of materials to obtain alternative uses for these materials in every day life. One of the solid waste materials sent for recycling is the carton package, which is made of paper, polyethylene and aluminum. In conjunction with this, the search for new plastics compounds reinforced with cellulose fibers has been appointed as a market demand, thanks to the high number of possible applications of these materials, for instance, in the car manufacturing industry, civil construction, etc. In this study the modification of the low density polyethylene/aluminum from carton packages reinforced with cellulose fibers is investigated, and the addition of the grafted copolymer with maleic anhydride, acting as a compatibilizer, whose main target is to add value to the material produced, making them more attractive from a market point of view. Grafted copolymer was added to the LDPE/Al composite and the posterior extruded. Cellulose fibers, in different percentages and particle sizes, were mixed with the resulting material from the first extrusion, and the posterior extruded in sheets, with different properties and aspects. After processing, the obtained materials were applied to thermical and mechanical characterization, infrared spectroscopy and surface eletronic microscopy to verify the efficiency of the modifications. This research showed us that by increasing the cellulose fiber percentages in the generated composites incremented mechanical properties and thermical stability in comparison to the original composite, and indicated a subtle action of the compatibilizer in the used experimental conditions.