Improving the mechanical properties of ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber/low density polyethylene/rice husk biocomposites by using various additives of filler and gamma irradiation

Abstract

In this work, ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber (EPDM)/low-density polyethylene (LDPE) (100/60) blend was loaded with 20 phr (part per hundred parts of rubber) of rice husk to give biocomposites. To improve the compatibility of this biocomposites, 7 phr of maleic anhydride was also loaded. This biocomposite was then reinforced with 40 phr of high abrasion furnace (HAF)-carbon black (N330) or 40 phr Hisil. Vulcanization of these biocomposites was carried out by gamma irradiation at doses from 50 to 250 kGy. The EPDM/LDPE blend and its biocomposites were characterized by studying the mechanical, physical, and thermal properties. Also examination by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was studied. The results indicated that gamma irradiation and fillers improved the physical and mechanical properties and the thermal stability of the obtained biocomposites. The SEM micrographs confirmed the results obtained from mechanical properties. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 25:296-302, 2019.

Extractability of Rice Husk Waste Using Green Gamma Radiation for Dye Elimination in Laboratory-Scale Sorption System: Equilibrium Isotherm and Kinetic Analysis

“…γ-irradiation possesses high-energy photons and short wavelengths, making it deeply penetrating into samples over a short amount of time [31]. Previous reports have applied such technology to improve the physical and mechanical properties of various rubber-blended composites and/or rice husk derivative fillers [30,32,33]. Moreover, γ-irradiation was used to induce the cross-linkage of a polymer backbone and polymer degradation without chemical reagents [31,34,35].…”