Durability study of asphaltene-reinforced HDPE and LDPE composites under UV irradiation and local weathering exposure
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Durability study of asphaltene‑reinforced HDPE and LDPE composites under UV irradiation and local weathering exposure Mohammad Nahid Siddiqui1 · Halim H. Redhwi2 · Muhammad Younas3 · Abdulrahman A. Al‑Arfaj1 · Syed Hussain4 · Mohd Naim1 Received: 3 February 2020 / Revised: 29 June 2020 / Accepted: 30 July 2020 © Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract The durability of HDPE and LDPE composites was studied using asphaltene as filler. Asphaltene is the polar macromolecules present in the crude oils. Examining the FTIR spectra of the composites revealed the lack of chemical bonds between asphaltene and HDPE/LDPE in the composite. Filler, asphaltene, is being a part of the physical mixture that does not make any covalent link with HDPE and LDPE polymers. The changes in the durability of the composites were monitored in samples exposed to UV irradiation for 480 h as well as natural outdoor weathering over a period of 6, 12, and 18 months. Superior light shielding by asphaltene filler leads to the stabilization of the composites. Alternatively, chemical effects may have also played a vital role in enhancing the weatherability of composites. In all composites studied, the natural and artificial weatherability compared to non-exposed HDPE and LDPE enhanced maximum load, tensile strength, and yield stress significantly due to the presence of asphaltene as a filler; however, percent elongation and modulus of elasticity decreased. Therefore, efficient reinforcement afforded by asphaltene is not accompanied by significant loss or enhancement in the durability of the composite. Keywords LDPE · HDPE · Asphaltene · Composite · Exposure · Durability
* Mohammad Nahid Siddiqui [email protected] 1
Chemistry Department, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
2
Chemical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
3
Mechanical Engineering, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
4
Dhahran Techno Valley, King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals, Dhahran 31261, Saudi Arabia
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Vol.:(0123456789)
Polymer Bulletin
Introduction Asphaltene is a solid undesirable material found in crude oils. Asphaltene is defined as material insoluble in aliphatic hydrocarbon solvents (n-alkanes). Generally, asphaltenes consist of complex and significantly higher aromatic properties, heteroatom contents, molecular weight distributions, and metal contents compared to lower fractions of crude oil. Asphaltene is thereby commonly acknowledged to embody the most undesirable and problematic portion of the petroleum fraction to refining and upgrading processes. Asphaltene contains condensed aromatic systems carrying alkyl, cycloalkyl, and heteroatom constituents. X-ray diffraction studies of the Saudi crude asphaltenes support the general concept of condensed aromatic sheets (having a tendency to stack) bearing naphthenic and alkyl systems on their periphery as the structure of asphaltenes [1–3
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