Structural and Mechanical Properties of Recycled HDPE with Milled GFRP as a Filler

Abstract

The increasing complexity and production volume of glass-fiber-reinforced polymers (GFRP) present significant recycling challenges. This paper explores a potential use for mechanically recycled GFRP by blending it with high-density polyethylene (HDPE). This composite could be applied in products such as terrace boards, pipes, or fence posts, or as a substitute filler for wood flour and chalk. Recycled GFRP from post-consumer bus bumpers were ground and then combined with recycled HDPE in a twin-screw extruder at concentrations of 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt%. The study examined the mechanical and structural properties of the resulting composites, including the effects of aging and re-extrusion. The modulus of elasticity increased from 0.878 GPa for pure rHDPE to 1.806 GPa for composites with 40 wt% recycled GFRP, while the tensile strength ranged from 36.5 MPa to 28.7 MPa. Additionally, the porosity increased linearly from 2.65% to 7.44% for composites with 10 wt% and 40 wt% recycled GFRP, respectively. Aging and re-extrusion improved the mechanical properties, with the tensile strength of the 40 wt% GFRP composite reaching 34.1 MPa, attributed to a reduction in porosity by nearly half, reaching 3.43%.