Valorization of waste thermoset material as a filler in thermoplastic: Mechanical properties of phenolic molding compound waste-filled PP composites

Abstract

As most thermoset material, phenolic molding compound (PMC) wastes are an environmental problem. Very few recycling solutions have been proposed so far for this type of material. A mechanical recycling method to valorize these materials is proposed in this work. It relies on the use of phenolic waste as filler in thermoplastic. Such phenolic filler can increase mechanical properties (tensile, flexural) of the matrix, and be used in substitution of traditional particulate fillers such as calcium carbonate or talc. In this study, several morphological parameters influencing the final mechanical properties of a PMC-filled polypropylene (PP) micro-composite are studied, such as filler loading rate, particles size distribution of the filler, and interfacial adhesion between the filler and the matrix. Some structural parameters are also studied and linked with mechanical properties, such as dispersion of the filler and crystallinity of the matrix. Finally, the properties of PMC-filled PP are compared with CaCO3- and talc-filled PP. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018, 135, 45849.