Mechanical Properties of Low Density Polyethylene / Citrus Aurantium Shell Composite

Abstract:<br /> Mechanical properties of (LDPE-463)/Citrus Aurantium shell composite are assessed with respect to the effect of Citrus aurantium shell content varying from 2.5% to 50%. An obvious decrease in the mechanical parameters is recorded after adding Citrus aurantium shell of a high weight ratio. The mechanical properties of loaded film have been evaluated through several parameters concerning the elastic deformation based on measuring the load – elongation characteristics. The melt index is found to be increased up to 56.5 with increasing the filler concentration up to 50%, while the incorporation of the filler has adversely affected mechanical properties by reducing the tensile at yield and break, impact and elongation. This reduction is due to two reasons poor interaction between filler particles and LDPE chains and low molecular weight of the short molecular chains of the composite thus resulting in a lower tensile strength and elongation at yield and break and may be related to particles/matrix interface which depends on the properties of both the filler and the host polymer. Finally the filler contributes to reducing the cost due to the change made in melt index, viscosity and the reducing of LDPE in the composite matrix.