Recycled Polyamide-6/Waste Silk & Cotton Fibre Polymer Composites:Effect of Fibre length

Abstract

Among textile fibres today, cotton is the most commonly used natural fibre. Cotton is being used in almost all areas of textiles. Waste cotton which is produced during the yarn production process is then re-used in yarn production again or as a waste in other uses. Besides this, silk fibres have been used for nearly 5000 years. Silk is one of the most precious fibres among all textile fibres and it has a very wide range of uses like: sewing threads, clothes, home textiles, technical textiles and ornamental uses. The cocoons which are damaged during the cocoon-forming process are called waste silk, and because of the damage their trading value is decreased. These wastes can then be re-used in textiles. In this study, besides the classic textile applications, a different application area was chosen to evaluate silk and cotton wastes. Silk and cotton waste and recycled PApolymer was mixed and a composite structure was obtained. Silk and cotton wastes were in fibre lengths of 1mm, 2.5 mm and 5mm. The recycled PA/Silk and cotton wastes were mixed in the rates of 97% / 3% respectively. The mixture was made by twin screw extruder. The samples were tested in terms of tensile strength, % elongation, yield strength, elasticity module, Izod Impact Strength, Melt Flow Index (MFI), Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT), and Vicat Softening Point Temperature. Thermal transitions of the materials were determined using the Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and micro-structure properties were investigated with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

Keywords

• Mechanical properties
• polyamide 6
• fiber length
• polymer composites
• silk
• cotton.

Recycled Polyamide-6/Waste Silk & Cotton Fibre Polymer Composites:Effect of Fibre length

Abstract

Among textile fibres today, cotton is the most commonly used natural fibre. Cotton is being used in almost all areas of textiles. Waste cotton which is produced during the yarn production process is then re-used in yarn production again or as a waste in other uses. Besides this, silk fibres have been used for nearly 5000 years. Silk is one of the most precious fibres among all textile fibres and it has a very wide range of uses like: sewing threads, clothes, home textiles, technical textiles and ornamental uses. The cocoons which are damaged during the cocoon-forming process are called waste silk, and because of the damage their trading value is decreased. These wastes can then be re-used in textiles.

 

In this study, besides the classic textile applications, a different application area was chosen to evaluate silk and cotton wastes. Silk and cotton waste and recycled PA₆ polymer was mixed and a composite structure was obtained. Silk and cotton wastes were in fibre lengths of 1mm, 2.5 mm and 5mm. The recycled PA₆/Silk and cotton wastes were mixed in the rates of 97% / 3% respectively. The mixture was made by twin screw extruder. The samples were tested in terms of tensile strength, % elongation, yield strength, elasticity module, Izod Impact Strength, Melt Flow Index (MFI), Heat Deflection Temperature (HDT), and Vicat Softening Point Temperature. Thermal transitions of the materials were determined using the Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) and micro-structure properties were investigated with Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).

Keywords

• Mechanical properties; polyamide 6; fiber length; polymer composites; silk; cotton

References

1. C. Klason, J. Kubát, HE. Strömvall, Int. J. Polym. Mater. 1984, 10,159.
2. S. Sapieha, P. Allard, YH. Zang, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1990, 41,2039.
3. S. Sapieha, JP. Pupo, HP. Schreiber, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1989, 37,233.
4. RT. Woodhams, G. Thomas, K. Rodgers, Polym. Eng. Sci. 1984, 24,1166.
5. RG. Raj, BV. Kokta, C. Daneault, Int. J. Polym. Mater. 1989, 12,239.
6. AC. Karmaker, G. Hinrichsen, Polym. Plast. Technol. Eng. 1991, 30,609.
7. H. Dalväg, C. Klakson, HE. Strömvall, Int. J. Polym. Mater. 1985, 11,9.
8. KP. Mieck, A. Nechwatal, C. Knobelsdorf, Makromol. Chem. 1995, 225,49.

9. TT. Le Thi, H. Gauthier, R. Gauthier, B. Coabert, J. Guillet, BV. Luong, VT. Nguygen, J. Macromol. Sci.1996, 33,1997.
10. J. Kuruvilla, T. Sabu, C. Pavithran, M. Brahmakumar, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1993, 47,17
11. K. Joseph, S. Thomas, C. Pavithran, Mater. Lett. 1992, 15, 224.
12. KC. Manikandan Nair, SM. Diwan, S. Thomas, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1996, 60, 1483.
13. PJ. Roe, MP. Ansell, J.Mater. Sci. 1985, 20, 4015.
14. Y. Kawahara, M. Shioya, A. Takaku, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1996, 59, 51.
15. Y. Kawahara, M. Shioya, A. Takaku, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1996, 61, 1359.
16. Y. Kawahara, M. Shıoya, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1997, 65, 2051.
17. M. Tsukada, G. Freddi, MR. Massafra, S. Beretta, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1998, 67, 13
18. G. Freddi, Y. Ishiguro, J. Kasai, S. Crighton, M. Tsukada, J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 1996, 61, 2197.
19. A. Pervin, Textile Pre-treatment , Alfa Pub, Turkey, 1998, 124.
20. Petkim Production Catalogue(HDPE ),2008.