Natural Weathering Effect on Mechanical and Physical Properties of Recycled High-Density Polyethylene Composite with Bamboo Reinforcement

Abstract

The utilization of plastic wastes to create polymer composite has become one of an effective solution to decrease the amount of untreated plastic wastes. The combination between polymer as a matrix with natural fiber as reinforcement in composite gives major advantages to its mechanical properties, but also few disadvantages that can reduce its potential application. An experiment was performed to investigate changes of composite surface quality and its mechanical properties before and after weather exposure. In this experiment, bamboo fiber reinforced recycled HDPE went through natural weathering for 1 and 2 months outside to analyze weathering effect on its physical and mechanical properties. The specimen consists of rHDPE as matrix and  giant bamboo as reinforcement was made by compression molding. The bamboo fiber which previously treated with NaOH 5% was used as a composite’s bottom layer while rHDPE as the top layer with a ratio of 20:80. The study showed that weather exposure gives no significant color changes nor quality degradation to the composite’s surface. Mass and impact strength degraded with increasing of weathering duration. Moreover, composite tensile strength after experiencing 1-month weather exposure recorded higher than 0 month (without exposure).