Eby Thomas, Thachil; Renju, V S; Vidya Francis, K F; Ayswarya, E P(Elsevier, April , 2012)
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Abstract:
This paper presents the results of a study on the use of rice husk ash (RHA) for property modification of
high density polyethylene (HDPE). Rice husk is a waste product of the rice processing industry. It is used
widely as a fuel which results in large quantities of RHA. Here, the characterization of RHA has been done
with the help of X-ray diffraction (XRD), Inductively Coupled Plasma Atomic Emission Spectroscopy
(ICPAES), light scattering based particle size analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR)
and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). Most reports suggest that RHA when blended directly with
polymers without polar groups does not improve the properties of the polymer substantially. In this
study RHA is blended with HDPE in the presence of a compatibilizer. The compatibilized HDPE-RHA blend
has a tensile strength about 18% higher than that of virgin HDPE. The elongation-at-break is also higher
for the compatibilized blend. TGA studies reveal that uncompatibilized as well as compatibilized HDPERHA
composites have excellent thermal stability. The results prove that RHA is a valuable reinforcing
material for HDPE and the environmental pollution arising from RHA can be eliminated in a profitable
way by this technique.