Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effects of Lignocellulosic Fillers from Waste Thyme on Melt Flow Behavior and Processability of Wood Plastic Composites (WPC) with Biobased Poly(ethylene) by Injection Molding

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Journal of Polymers and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Wood-like plastic composites were manufactured with a thermoplastic matrix polymer from renewable resources, i.e. high-density poly(ethylene) from bioethanol and a lignocellulosic filler obtained as a byproduct of the industrial distillation of thyme. The potential manufacturing of these composites by injection molding was studied. For this purpose, an in depth study of the effects of the lignocellulosic loading (comprised between 10 and 50 wt%) on the rheological properties of these composites was carried out by using capillary rheometry and model fitting with the Cross-WLF rheological model. In addition, a side by side comparison of the experimental results and those obtained by simulations with MoldFlow® was provided. In addition, the values of the pressure in the cavity and in the sprue were measured and collected by two selectively mounted pressure sensors and the results were compared with those predicted by MoldFlow® with the inputs provided by the Cross-WLF fitting model. The results showed a remarkable increase in viscosity with increasing lignocellulosic filler content, which has a negative effect on overall processability. This phenomenon specifically intense at low shear rates. However, this phenomenon could be potentially minimized using high shear rates because of the shear thinning effect of pseudoplastic fluids. Both the experimental and simulated results suggest the need of higher pressures to fill the cavity with these WPC, specifically for those with high filler content of up to 50 wt%. The results of the study indicate that melt viscosity is highly linked to the cavity pressure which is the dominant factor determining the quality of the final product in plastic injection molding.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4
Fig. 5
Fig. 6
Fig. 7

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Koivuranta E et al (2017) Improved durability of lignocellulose-polypropylene composites manufactured using twin-screw extrusion. Compos Part A 101:265–272

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Tufan M et al (2016) Technological and thermal properties of thermoplastic composites filled with heat-treated alder wood. BioResources 11(2):3153–3164

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Puglia D, Fortunati E, Kenny JM, Editors (2016) Extraction of lignocellulosic materials from waste products. In: Multifunctional polymeric nanocomposites based on cellulosic reinforcements. Elsevier, Oxford, p 408

    Google Scholar 

  4. Huang L et al (2016) Sustainable use of coffee husks for reinforcing polyethylene composites. J Polym Environ 26:48–58

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Fabiyi JS et al (2008) Wood plastic composites weathering: visual appearance and chemical changes. Polym Degrad Stab 93(8):1405–1414

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Ruiz-Navajas Y et al (2013) In vitro antioxidant and antifungal properties of essential oils obtained from aromatic herbs endemic to the southeast of Spain. J Food Prot 76(7):1218–1225

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Díaz-García MC et al (2015) Production of an anthocyanin-rich food colourant from Thymus moroderi and its application in foods. J Sci Food Agric 95(6):1283–1293

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Bhullar SK, Kaya B, Jun MB-G (2015) Development of bioactive packaging structure using melt electrospinning. J Polym Environ 23(3):416–423

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Cicala G et al (2016) Investigation on structure and thermomechanical processing of biobased polymer blends. J Polym Environ 25:750–758

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. George J et al (1996) Melt rheological behaviour of short pineapple fibre reinforced low density polyethylene composites. Polymer 37(24):5421–5431

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Joseph PV et al (2002) Melt rheological behaviour of short sisal fibre reinforced polypropylene composites. J Thermoplast Compos Mater 15(2):89–114

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Kalaprasad G et al (2003) Melt rheological behavior of intimately mixed short sisal-glass hybrid fiber-reinforced low-density polyethylene composites. I. Untreated fibers. J Appl Polym Sci 89(2):432–442

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Kalaprasad G, Thomas S (2003) Melt rheological behavior of intimately mixed short sisal-glass hybrid fiber-reinforced low-density polyethylene composites. II. Chemical modification. J Appl Polym Sci 89(2):443–450

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Kumar RP et al (2000) Morphology and melt rheological behaviour of short-sisal-fibre-reinforced SBR composites. Compos Sci Technol 60(9):1737–1751

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Li T, Wolcott M (2005) Rheology of wood plastics melt. Part 1. Capillary rheometry of HDPE filled with maple. Polym Eng Sci 45(4):549–559

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Li T, Wolcott M (2006) Rheology of wood plastics melt, part 2: effects of lubricating systems in HDPE/maple composites. Polym Eng Sci 46(4):464–473

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Li TQ, Wolcott MP (2004) Rheology of HDPE-wood composites. I. Steady state shear and extensional flow. Composites Part A 35(3):303–311

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Mohanty S, Nayak SK (2007) Rheological characterization of jute/HDPE composites. In: Zhang D et al. (eds) Advanced materials and processing Iv, p 279

  19. Ou R et al (2014) Effect of wood cell wall composition on the rheological properties of wood particle/high density polyethylene composites. Compos Sci Technol 93:68–75

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Hristov V, Vlachopoulos J (2007) Influence of coupling agents on melt flow behavior of natural fiber composites. Macromol Mater Eng 292(5):608–619

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Mohanty S, Nayak SK (2007) Rheological characterization of HDPE/sisal fiber composites. Polym Eng Sci 47(10):1634–1642

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Koszkul J, Nabialek J (2004) Viscosity models in simulation of the filling stage of the injection molding process. J Mater Process Technol 157–158:183–187

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Mazzanti V, Mollica F (2016) In-process measurements of flow characteristics of wood plastic composites. J Polym Environ 25:1044–1050

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Montanes N et al (2017) Processing and characterization of environmentally friendly composites from biobased polyethylene and natural fillers from thyme herbs. J Polym Environ 26:1218–1230

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Shenoy A, Saini D (1984) Rheological models for unified curves for simplified design calculations in polymer processing. Rheologica Acta 23(4):368–377

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Bagley E (1957) End corrections in the capillary flow of polyethylene. J Appl Phys 28(5):624–627

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Rabinowitsch B (1929) Über die Viskosität und Elastizität von Solen. Z Physik Chem A 145:1–26

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Cross MM (1965) Rheology of non-newtonian fluids—a new flow equation for pseudoplastic systems. J Colloid Sci 20(5):417

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Williams ML, Landel RF, Ferry JD (1955) Mechanical properties of substances of high molecular weight. 19. the temperature dependence of relaxation mechanisms in amorphous polymers and other glass-forming liquids. J Am Chem Soc 77(14):3701–3707

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Carneiro OS, Maia JM (2000) Rheological behavior of (short) carbon fiber/thermoplastic composites. Part I: the influence of fiber type, processing conditions and level of incorporation. Polym Compos 21(6):960–969

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Crowson RJ, Folkes MJ, Bright PF (1980) Rheology of short glass fiber-reinforced thermoplastics and its application to injection molding I. Fiber motion and viscosity measurement. Polym Eng Sci 20(14):925–933

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Goldsmith H (1967) Rheology theory and application, Mason SG (eds) Academic Press, p 85

  33. Reig MJ, Segui VJ, Zamanillo JD (2005) Rheological behavior modeling of recycled ABS/PC blends applied to injection molding process. J Polym Eng 25(5):435–457

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Părpăriţă E et al (2014) Structure–morphology–mechanical properties relationship of some polypropylene/lignocellulosic composites. Mater Des 56:763–772

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Kurt M et al (2009) Experimental investigation of plastic injection molding: assessment of the effects of cavity pressure and mold temperature on the quality of the final products. Mater Des 30(8):3217–3224

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This research was supported by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness – MINECO through the grant number MAT2014-59242-C2-1-R. Authors also wish to thank “Licores Sinc, S.A.” for kindly supplying the thyme wastes.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Materials Technology (ITM), Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV), Plaza Ferrándiz y Carbonell, s/n, 03801, Alcoy, Spain

    N. Montanes, L. Quiles-Carrillo, S. Ferrandiz, O. Fenollar & T. Boronat

Authors
  1. N. Montanes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. L. Quiles-Carrillo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S. Ferrandiz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. O. Fenollar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. T. Boronat
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to T. Boronat.

Additional information

Publisher’s Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Montanes, N., Quiles-Carrillo, L., Ferrandiz, S. et al. Effects of Lignocellulosic Fillers from Waste Thyme on Melt Flow Behavior and Processability of Wood Plastic Composites (WPC) with Biobased Poly(ethylene) by Injection Molding. J Polym Environ 27, 747–756 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-019-01388-0

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-019-01388-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation