PHYSICO-MECHANICAL AND MORPHOLOGICAL ANALYSES OF ACTIVATED CARBON/CLAY REINFORCED RECYCLED POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITES

Najatul Athirah Musa; Noraiham  Mohamad; Hairul Effendy Ab Maulod; Jeefferie Abd Razak; Mohd Edeerozey Abd Manaf; Mohammed Iqbal Shueb; Puteri Rabiah Zakyron; Mohd Musatafa Albakri Abdullah

Najatul Athirah Musa Fakulti Teknologi Kejuruteraan dan Industri dan Pembuatan,Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
Noraiham Mohamad Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Industri dan Pembuatan, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia.
Hairul Effendy Ab Maulod Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Industri dan Pembuatan, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia.
Jeefferie Abd Razak Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Industri dan Pembuatan, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia.
Mohd Edeerozey Abd Manaf Fakulti Teknologi dan Kejuruteraan Industri dan Pembuatan, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka, Hang Tuah Jaya, 76100 Durian Tunggal, Melaka, Malaysia.
Mohammed Iqbal Shueb Department of Polymer Processing & Prototyping Development Group, Radiation Processing Technology Division, Malaysian Nuclear Agency Bangi, 43000 Kajang, Malaysia.
Puteri Rabiah Zakyron
Mohd Musatafa Albakri Abdullah Faculty of Civil Engineering Technology, Universiti Malaysia Perlis, Padang Besar 02100 Perlis, Malaysia.

Keywords: Recycled polypropylene, clay, activated carbon, plastic composite aggregates

Abstract

Plastic waste poses a significant environmental challenge due to its non-biodegradable nature and increasing global waste volume. Recycled polypropylene/clay (rPP/clay) composites typically exhibit inferior mechanical properties compared to virgin materials, limiting their practical applications. However, rPP/clay composites are still being investigated further due to their potential to enhance interaction with natural materials by improving their hydrophilic nature, making them valuable in construction applications. This study aims to enhance the properties of rPP/clay composites by incorporating activated carbon (AC). The rPP/clay/AC composites were prepared using a single screw extruder with varying AC contents (1 wt%, 7 wt%, 15 wt%, and 20 wt%). The physical and mechanical properties were evaluated, including density, flexural strength, flexural modulus, hardness, and morphological analysis. Results indicated that composite density varied with AC content, achieving a balance between mechanical strength and density. The composite with 7 wt% AC exhibited the highest flexural strength (63.04 MPa) and modulus (2.95 GPa), enhancing stiffness and resistance to bending. The added AC reinforced the polymer matrix, supporting a higher load-bearing capacity before failure. Morphological analysis showed no rupture under the flexural test for the composite with 7 wt% AC, indicating strong interfacial bonding and uniform distribution of AC within the polymer matrix. The FESEM images revealed a shear-yielding mechanism, contributing to the material’s enhanced toughness. At 20 wt% AC, the hardness reached 75.83, the highest value observed, indicating that higher AC percentages improve hardness, making the composite more resistant to indentation and surface deformation. These results suggest that AC/clay-reinforced plastic waste composites could be valuable for diverse applications, contributing to waste reduction and recycling efforts aligned with sustainable development goals.