Polymer Testing (Dec 2022)
High-value utilization method of digital printing waste paper fibers-Co-blending filled HDPE composites and performance improvement
Abstract
Due to accelerated modernization, urban environmental waste is being generated at an exponential rate, and paper is one of the largest solid wastes. Among them, digital printing waste paper has remarkable fiber quality and purity, making it a superior renewable fiber resource. However, the printing method and ink/toner used in the digital printing process are different from traditional printing methods, and the waste paper is relatively difficult to deink, resulting in the traditional waste paper utilization industry (recycled paper) is not given much attention and becomes low-value waste paper. How to realize the resourcefulness and high-value and efficient utilization of digital printing waste paper fiber (DPWF) is a real problem that needs attention in the field of renewable resources. In this paper, DPWF was used in the field of melt blending filled thermoplastic resin composites to avoid the waste paper deinking process while improving various properties of the material. It is shown that the best mechanical properties of the composites are achieved at 35% DPWF content. At the same time, coupling agent was used to further improve the properties of the composites in response to the interfacial incompatibility between fiber and resin. The best modification effect was achieved when the coupling agent was added at 3%, at which time the interfacial, water absorption, crystallization and thermal properties of the composites were improved, among which vinyltrimethoxysilane (A171) and γ-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (KH570) had significant effects.