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Polymers
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Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites
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Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites

A special issue of Polymers (ISSN 2073-4360). This special issue belongs to the section "Polymer Composites and Nanocomposites".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 May 2024 | Viewed by 20668

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Jorge Luis Almaral-Sanchez

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Facultad de Ingeniería Mochis, Universidad Autónoma de Sinaloa, Los Mochis, Sinaloa, Mexico
Interests: recycled polymer composites; synthesis; molecular modeling; treatment; manipulation; assembly; disposal; uses; environmental and economy impact
Dr. Efraín Rubio Rosas

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Centro Universitario de Vinculación y Transferencia de Tecnología, Benemérita Universidad Autónoma de Puebla, Av. San Claudio y 18 sur C. U.Col. San Manuel, C. P. 72570 Puebla, Mexico
Interests: recycled materials; synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials and bioceramics

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue on “Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites” may include advances and innovations in the synthesis, molecular modeling, treatment, manipulation, assembly, disposal, uses, etc. of composite materials of any type of recycled polymer (in a full or partial cycle). This includes polymers of natural origin, conventional engineering, or new developments, as well as polymers which are the product of waste, which form composites with other polymers or other materials (new or waste) in order to create new materials benefitting the environment in terms of cleanliness, beauty, and hydrological cycle improvement, as well as adding value to composite products of recycled waste polymers, leading to significant impact on various industries (construction, health, electronics, automotive, aerospace, packaging, transportation, etc.) and improving the economy of various regions and countries around our world.

Dr. Jorge Luis Almaral-Sanchez
Dr. Efraín Rubio Rosas
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Polymers is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • recycled polymer composites
  • synthesis
  • treatment
  • handling
  • mounting
  • layout and uses

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 2381 KiB  
Article
Influence of Particle Size and Bulk Density on Sound Absorption Performance of Oil Palm Frond-Reinforced Composites Particleboard
by Budi Istana, I Made Londen Batan, Sutikno, Samrith Khem, U Ubaidillah and Iwan Yahya
Polymers 2023, 15(3), 510; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15030510 - 18 Jan 2023
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2292
Abstract
The present study deals with the sound absorption performance of natural fibres from the oil palm frond (OPF), mainly considered agricultural waste. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the sound absorption performance of OPF fibre-reinforced composite under normal incidence sound. The materials used [...] Read more.
The present study deals with the sound absorption performance of natural fibres from the oil palm frond (OPF), mainly considered agricultural waste. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the sound absorption performance of OPF fibre-reinforced composite under normal incidence sound. The materials used were OPF particles and urea-formaldehyde was used as an adhesive. The particleboards were produced with three particle sizes and four target densities. The absorption coefficient of normal incidence sound (αn) was tested using an impedance tube. The effects of particle size and bulk density were also evaluated. The findings reveal thatαn exceeded 0.45 at 1000 Hz and could reach 0.95 above 3.3 kHz. This occurred when the bulk density of the OPF composite particleboards ranged between 0.3–0.4 g/cm3, and the particle size varied between medium to coarse. The results also indicated that the absorption frequency and the degree of αn significantly increased as the bulk density decreased. Therefore, OPF fibres can be used to create sound-absorbing composite particleboards. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites)
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14 pages, 1764 KiB  
Article
Tensile Strength of Poly(lactic acid)/Bleached Short Hemp Fiber Fully Green Composites as Replacement for Polypropylene/Glass Fiber
by Roberto J. Aguado, Francesc X. Espinach, Fernando Julián, Quim Tarrés, Marc Delgado-Aguilar and Pere Mutjé
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010146 - 28 Dec 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1502
Abstract
The compatibility between poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and natural fibers to develop bio-sourced, recyclable, and biodegradable composites remains a commonplace issue. This work highlights that, at least in the case of hemp, pulping and bleaching towards delignified short fibers attained remarkable improvements over untreated [...] Read more.
The compatibility between poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and natural fibers to develop bio-sourced, recyclable, and biodegradable composites remains a commonplace issue. This work highlights that, at least in the case of hemp, pulping and bleaching towards delignified short fibers attained remarkable improvements over untreated hemp strands. This approach differs from usual proposals of chemically modifying hydroxyl groups. Soda-bleached hemp fibers (SBHFs) granted a relatively large bonding surface area and a satisfactory quality of the interphase, even in the absence of any dispersant or compatibilizer. To attain satisfactory dispersion, the matrix and the fibers were subjected to kinetic mixing and to a moderately intensified extrusion process. Then, dog-bone specimens were prepared by injection molding. Up to a fiber content of 30 wt.%, the tensile strength increased linearly with the volume fraction of the dispersed phase. It reached a maximum value of 77.8 MPa, signifying a relative enhancement of about 52%. In comparison, the tensile strength for PLA/hemp strands was 55.7 MPa. Thence, based on the modified rule of mixtures and the Kelly & Tyson modified equation, we analyzed this performance at the level of the constituent materials. The interfacial shear strength (over 28 MPa) and other micromechanical parameters were computed. Overall, this biocomposite was found to outperform a polypropylene/sized glass fiber composite (without coupling agent) in terms of tensile strength, while fulfilling the principles of green chemistry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites)
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18 pages, 3985 KiB  
Article
Hybrid Coatings of SiO2–Recycled PET Unsaturated Polyester Resin by Sol-Gel Process
by Adrián Bórquez-Mendivil, Abel Hurtado-Macías, Jesús Eduardo Leal-Pérez, Joaquín Flores-Valenzuela, Ramón Álvaro Vargas-Ortíz, Francisca Guadalupe Cabrera-Covarrubias and Jorge Luis Almaral-Sánchez
Polymers 2022, 14(16), 3280; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym14163280 - 12 Aug 2022
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2515
Abstract
Hybrid coatings of SiO2 and recycled unsaturated polyester resin (R-UPR) from recycled polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) were prepared by the sol-gel process on glass substrates. First, SiO2 was synthesized by the sol-gel process using a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) solution. Next, bis(2-hydroxypropyl-terephthalate) (BHPT) was [...] Read more.
Hybrid coatings of SiO2 and recycled unsaturated polyester resin (R-UPR) from recycled polyethylene-terephthalate (PET) were prepared by the sol-gel process on glass substrates. First, SiO2 was synthesized by the sol-gel process using a tetraethyl orthosilicate (TEOS) solution. Next, bis(2-hydroxypropyl-terephthalate) (BHPT) was synthesized from mechanical and chemical recycling (glycolysis) of post-consumer PET bottles in propylene glycol (PG) using ZnA as catalyst, in a Vessel-type reactor (20–200 °C); maleic anhydride (MA) was added and, following the same procedure, the unsaturated polyester (UP) was synthetized, which was cooled to room temperature. Next, styrene (St) and benzoyl-peroxide (PBO)-initiator were added to obtain R–UPR. TEOS (T) and three hybrid solutions were synthesized, with molar ratios of 0:1:0 (T), 1:2:0.25 (H1), 1:1:0.25 (H2), and 1:0:0.25 (H3) for R–UPR:TEOS:3-trimethoxy-(silyl)-propyl-methacrylate (TMSPM), respectively, with which TC, HC1, HC2, and HC3 coatings were elaborated using the immersion technique and polymerized (120 °C for 24 h). The solutions were characterized by FT–IR and TGA, and the coatings by SEM, nanoindentation, AFM, adhesion, and contact angle. The results showed that SiO2 enhanced mechanical (hardness and Young’s modulus) and thermal properties of the R-UPR. The coatings adhered perfectly to the substrate, with thicknesses of micrometer units and a flat surface; in addition, hydrophilicity decreased as SiO2 decreased. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites)
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Review

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24 pages, 2981 KiB  
Review
Waste Paper as a Valuable Resource: An Overview of Recent Trends in the Polymeric Composites Field
by Daniel Magalhães de Oliveira, Anne Shayene Campos de Bomfim, Kelly Cristina Coelho de Carvalho Benini, Maria Odila Hilário Cioffi, Herman Jacobus Cornelis Voorwald and Denis Rodrigue
Polymers 2023, 15(2), 426; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15020426 - 13 Jan 2023
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 9567
Abstract
This review focuses on polymeric waste-paper composites, including state-of-the-art analysis with quantitative and qualitative discussions. Waste paper is a valuable cellulose-rich material, produced mainly from office paper, newspaper, and paper sludge, which can be recycled and returned to paper production or used in [...] Read more.
This review focuses on polymeric waste-paper composites, including state-of-the-art analysis with quantitative and qualitative discussions. Waste paper is a valuable cellulose-rich material, produced mainly from office paper, newspaper, and paper sludge, which can be recycled and returned to paper production or used in a new life cycle. A systematic literature review found 75 publications on this material over the last 27 years, with half of those published during the last five years. These data represent an increasing trend in the number of publications and citations that have shown an interest in this field. Most of them investigated the physicomechanical properties of composites using different contents of raw waste paper or the treated, modified, and cellulose-extracted types. The results show that polyethylene and polypropylene are the most used matrices, but polylactic acid, a biodegradable/sourced polymer, has the most citations. The scientific relevance of waste-paper composites as a subject includes the increasing trend of the number of publications and citations over the years, as well as the gaps identified by keyword mapping and the qualitative discussion of the papers. Therefore, biopolymers and biobased polymers could be investigated more, as well as novel applications. The environmental impact in terms of stability and degradation should also receive more attention regarding sustainability and life cycle analyses. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites)
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21 pages, 1594 KiB  
Review
Cost Modelling for Recycling Fiber-Reinforced Composites: State-of-the-Art and Future Research
by Essam Shehab, Arshyn Meiirbekov, Akniyet Amantayeva and Serik Tokbolat
Polymers 2023, 15(1), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym15010150 - 29 Dec 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 3472
Abstract
Fiber-reinforced composites, such as carbon and glass fibers, are widely used across various industries. This is mainly a result of their outperforming properties in contrast with traditional materials. As a response to the environmental legal enforcement of the recycling of composite materials, several [...] Read more.
Fiber-reinforced composites, such as carbon and glass fibers, are widely used across various industries. This is mainly a result of their outperforming properties in contrast with traditional materials. As a response to the environmental legal enforcement of the recycling of composite materials, several recycling methods such as mechanical, thermal, and chemical recycling, have been developed. Despite various merits, these recycling methods still face challenges, such as the heterogeneity of material, the quality of the recycled product, the high cost of recycling, and a lack of an established market. Since, in many cases, the financial aspect tends to be the major barrier to recycling composites, the appropriate cost modelling of the recycling process requires urgent consideration. To the knowledge of the authors, there is no prior research efforts on the reviewing of cost modelling techniques on composites recycling. Cost modelling research projects for different recycling technologies, with their findings and limitations, are sought from the literature and reported in this paper. It is found that recycling techniques still cannot compete with traditional landfilling in terms of cost, and are dependent on fiber recovery rates and plant capacities. Following a comprehensive literature review, research gaps are identified to formulate the research directions in this field. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances and Innovations in Recycled Polymer Composites)
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