اثرات تابش پرتو الکترونی و ضایعات پلی‌پروپیلن به عنوان پلیمر بازیافتی بر خواص فیزیکی- مکانیکی و مورفولوژیکی مخلوط پلی‌پروپیلن/پلی‌پروپیلن بازیافتی

Due to environmental, health, and economic concerns, recycling plastic waste has increased significantly in recent years. Numerous mixes and composites of recycled polymer materials have been studied. Unfortunately, polypropylene makes up a very small portion of the five primary polymers that make up polymer waste. This study aims to research the usage of recycled polypropylene (rPP) in combination with virgin polypropylene (PP) and to use electron radiation to improve the mixture's characteristics for potential applications. After electron radiation exposure, mixtures containing rPP at 0, 5, 10, and 15 wt.% were examined to determine gel content, melt flow index, mechanical properties, and structural characteristics. The irradiation results in crosslinking in the PP mixture, as evidenced by the decrease in melt flow index and the increase in gel content of the irradiated mixes. The tensile strength and elongation at break are unaffected by increasing the amount of rPP, but after exposure to radiation, the tensile strength of samples containing 0 to 10 wt.% of rPP declines by 10% and that of samples with 15% by weight reduces by 15%. In comparison to samples not exposed to radiation, the elongation-at-break increase was also reduced, which appears to be a result of developing a crosslinking net in the polymer's structure. The polymer mixture still exhibits reasonable hammering behavior. The decrease caused by rPP and irradiation is of an appropriate magnitude. The irradiation sample's analysis using a scanning electron microscope also demonstrates improved interaction of PP with rPP. Based on the findings, it appears that the irradiation combination containing 10 wt.% rPP is the optimal sample to use for environmentally recycling post-consumer PP waste, creating new, high-performing products for a variety of applications, Cost reduction, and sustainable production.