Mechanical Characterization of Aged

Recycled Polymers and Applications

GangaRao & Basto (2002)
Long-term Strength & Stiffness Retention of Virgin ABS & PC Polymers
Thermoplastics Composites
Resin: acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC) as
matrix
Fiber: Chopped Glass Fibers
Aging Conditions: Immersion in 3% NaCl (by weight) (deicing agent)
Solution inside Environmental Chamber
Duration of Accelerated Aging: 2, 4, 10 and 18 months (18 months = over
60 years of natural aging (GangaRao & Vijay (1999)))
Total Coupons Tested: 340
Application: Offset Block Module for Joining Posts and Rails on Highway
Guardrail (guiderail) Systems
Typical Guardrail Joint Configuration and Modular Offset
Block (Photo Courtesy GangaRao & Basto (2002))
Materials
Matrix
Virgin Polymers
acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) (ultimate tensile strength: 7 ksi).
polycarbonate (PC) as matrix (9000 psi in ultimate strength).
Chopped Glass Fibers as Reinforcements (25% of total
weight or 12% fiber volume fraction).
4 mm long and 14 dia. (ABS compatible).
E-glass, varying in length (3 to 13 mm) and 13 (PC
compatible).
Manufacturing Method: Injection
Molding
Step
Drying of pellets before injection process
Melting and blending of resins
Injection Molding Process for ABS Specimens
Extrusion
Description
GPM5500 standard drying specifications for general
purpose: 2-4 hours drying time at 180-200 F
Pellets were melted and blended together at 530 to
535 F in a screw extruder with a L/D ratio of 24:1 and
a compression ratio of 3.75:1, long enough to prevent
non-homogeneous melting and degradation or
discoloration (GE Plastics 1999)
At 530 to 535 F

Specimens with ABS Matrix

Step Description
Drying of pellets before injection 5 hours drying time at 200 F
process
Molding Pellets were melted 595 F in a screw
with a speed of 3.65 in/sec and a back
pressure of 100 psi
Extrusion At 595 F

Specimens with PC Matrix

Tension Test: Strength
Max. reduction was 5.9% for specimens without Max. reduction was 5.2% for specimens without
fibers. fibers.
Max. reduction was 8.6% for specimens with Max. reduction was 27.8% for specimens with
fibers. fibers.

Tensile Strength Aged Virgin ABS Tensile Strength Aged Virgin PC

18000 18000

16000 16000

14000 14000

12000 12000

10000 10000
Without fiber Without fiber
Stress (pasi) With fiber
Stress (msi) With fiber
8000 8000

6000 6000

4000 4000

2000 2000

0 0
0 2 4 10 18 0 2 4 10 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Tension Test: Stiffness
No reduction in stiffness for specimens
No reduction in stiffness for specimens
without fibers (max gain: 58.8%). without fibers (max gain: 21.3%).
No reduction in stiffness for specimens Max. reduction was 2.0% for specimens with
with fibers (max gain: 7.3%). fibers.

Tensile Stiffness Aged Virgin ABS Tensile Stiffness Aged Virgin PC

1.2 1.2
1.1 1.1
1 1
0.9 0.9
0.8 0.8
0.7 0.7
Without fiber Without fiber
Stiffness (msi) 0.6 With fiber
Stiffness (msi) 0.6 With fiber
0.5 0.5
0.4 0.4
0.3 0.3
0.2 0.2
0.1 0.1
0 0
0 4 10 18 0 4 10 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Bending Test: Strength
Max. reduction was 30.8% for specimens Max. reduction was 26.8% for specimens without
without fibers. fibers.
Max. reduction was 20.7% for specimens with Max. reduction was 18.9% for specimens with
fibers. fibers.

Bending Strength Aged Virgin ABS Bending Strength Aged Virgin PC

30000 30000
28000 28000
26000 26000
24000 24000
22000 22000
20000 20000
18000 18000
16000 Without fiber 16000 Without fiber
Stress (psi) 14000 With fiber
Stress (psi) 14000 With fiber
12000 12000
10000 10000
8000 8000
6000 6000
4000 4000
2000 2000
0 0
0 2 4 10 18 0 2 4 10 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Bending Test: Stiffness
Max. reduction was 16.5% for No reduction in stiffness for specimens
specimens without fibers. without fibers (max gain: 25.3%).
Max. reduction was 8.6% for No reduction in stiffness for specimens
specimens with fibers. with fibers (max gain: 12.6%).
Bending Stiffness Aged Virgin ABS Bending Stiffness Aged Virgin PC
1.4 1.4

1.2 1.2

1 1

0.8 0.8
Without fiber Without fiber
Stiffness (msi) With fiber
Stiffness (msi) With fiber
0.6 0.6

0.4 0.4

0.2 0.2

0 0
0 4 10 18 0 4 10 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Compression Test: Strength
Max. reduction was 8.1% for Max. reduction was 1.8% for specimens
specimens without fibers. without fibers.
Max. reduction was 21.0% for Max. reduction was 39.0% for specimens
specimens with fibers. with fibers.
Compressive Strength Aged Virgin ABS Compressive Strength Aged Virgin PC
22000 22000
20000 20000
18000 18000
16000 16000
14000 14000
12000 Without fiber 12000 Without fiber
Stress (psi) 10000 With fiber
Stress (psi) 10000 With fiber
8000 8000
6000 6000
4000 4000
2000 2000
0 0
0 2 4 18 0 2 4 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Compression Test: Stiffness
No reduction in stiffness for specimens No reduction in stiffness for specimens
without fibers (max gain: 16.7%). without fibers (max gain: 52.3%).
No reduction in stiffness for specimens No reduction in stiffness for specimens
with fibers (max gain: 3.6%). with fibers (max gain: 24.6%).
Compressive Stiffness Aged Virgin ABS Compressive Stiffness Aged Virgin PC
1 1

0.9 0.9

0.8 0.8

0.7 0.7

0.6 0.6
Without fiber Without fiber
Stiffness (msi) 0.5 With fiber
Stiffness (msi) 0.5 With fiber
0.4 0.4

0.3 0.3

0.2 0.2

0.1 0.1

0 0
0 18 0 4 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Impact Test: Strength
Max. reduction was 2.3% for No reduction in stiffness for specimens
specimens without fibers. without fibers (max gain: 9.9%).
Max. reduction was 21.5% for Max. reduction was 53.4% for
specimens with fibers. specimens with fibers.
Impact Strength Aged Virgin ABS Impact Strength Aged Virgin PC
16 16

14 14

12 12

10 10

Without fiber Without fiber

Impact Strength (ft/lbf) 8 Impact Strength (ft/lbf) 8
With fiber With fiber
6 6

4 4

2 2

0 0
0 2 4 10 18 0 4 10 18

Time (month) Axis Title

Hardness Test: Hardness Index
No reduction in stiffness for specimens No reduction in stiffness for specimens
without fibers (max gain: 14.1%). without fibers (max gain: 13.2%).
Max. reduction was 3.5% for No reduction in stiffness for specimens
specimens with fibers. without fibers (max gain: 5.6%).
Hardness Index Aged Virgin ABS Hardness Index Aged Virgin PC
14 14
13 13
12 12
11 11

10 10
9
9
8
8 Without fiber Without fiber
Hardness Index Hardness Index 7
7 With fiber With fiber
6
6
5
5 4
4 3
3 2
2 1
1 0
0 2 4 10 18 0 2 4 10 18

Time (month) Time (month)

Conclusion
In general, virgin polymers less susceptible to harsh environment as
compared to 100% recycled and blend of virgin & recycled resins.
Among tensile, bending & compressive properties, compressive
strength reductions were higher in terms of both strength &stiffness.
Reductions in tensile properties were less than those in bending
ones.
Impact strength was most sensitive to aging among all the
mechanical properties evaluated. Variability can be attributed in part
to randon orientations of chopped fibers.
Hardness properties were not significantly affected in many of the
specimens after aging.
Conclusion (contd)
Higher reduction in mechanical properties evaluated of
specimens with PC resin than of those with ABS resin.
Stiffness of ABS specimens was more sensitive to aging
under harsh environment than PC specimens.
Higher reductions in strength and stiffness of specimens
with chopped fibers are due to existence of moisture
channels that facilitate moisture diffusion along
fiber/resin interface.
Use of continuous fibers or proper surface coating to
seal off the open interfaces is expected to reduce
moisture realted degradation problems.
Characterization and Durability Evaluation
of Recycled FRP Composites and Sandwich
Specimens
GangaRao & Kalligud (2010)
Long-term Mechanical Properties of Recycled ABS Polymers
Thermoplastics Composites Coupons with and without glass fiber
Resin: acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) as matrix
Fiber: Bi-directional Glass Fibers (4%, 7% & 12% fiber volume fraction)
Aging Conditions: pH of 13.0, Temperature and humidity were controlled by choosing
different freeze-thaw cycles programmed in an environmental chamber for specific humidity
and temperature
Immersion in Salt & Alkaline Duration of Accelerated Aging: 2, 4, 10 and 18 months (18
months = over 60 years of natural aging (GangaRao & Vijay (1999)))
Total Coupons Tested: 768
Application: Roughened and un-roughened thermoplastic & thermoset (VE resin) sandwich
composite specimens were manufactured using hand layup method and were tested under
tension and bending
Materials
Matrix
Recycled Polymers
acrylonitrile-butadiene styrene (ABS) (ultimate tensile strength: 7 ksi.
Chopped Glass Fibers as Reinforcements (25% of total
weight or 12% fiber volume fraction).
4 mm long and 14 dia. (ABS compatible).
E-glass, varying in length (3 to 13 mm) and 13 (PC
compatible).
Manufacturing Method: Compression
Molding Process and Hand Lay-up
Step
Drying of pellets before injection process
Melting and blending of resins
Injection Molding Process for ABS Specimens
Extrusion
Specimens with ABS Matrix
Step
Drying of pellets before injection
process
Molding
Extrusion
Specimens with PC Matrix
Description
GPM5500 standard drying specifications for general
purpose: 2-4 hours drying time at 180-200 F
Pellets were melted and blended together at 530 to
535 F in a screw extruder with a L/D ratio of 24:1 and
a compression ratio of 3.75:1, long enough to prevent
non-homogeneous melting and degradation or
discoloration (GE Plastics 1999)
At 530 to 535 F
Description
5 hours drying time at 200 F
Pellets were melted 595 F in a screw
with a speed of 3.65 in/sec and a back
pressure of 100 psi
At 595 F
Aging
Alkaline Solution: mixing of 1.4% of potassium
hydroxide (KOH), 1% of sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and
0.2% of calcium hydroxide (Ca (OH) 2) salts by weight
resulting in a pH of 13.0 and produces an effect of
environment typical of wet Portland cement.
Salt Solution: mixing of 3% sodium chloride (NaCl) by
weight resulting in pH of 7.0 to replicate the typical
effect of sea water or deicing chemicals.
Environmental Chamber: Specimens subjected to
freeze-thaw cycles, which magnify the influence of dry
freeze-thaw as reported by Wu et al. (2006).