Effect of Waste Tea (Camellia Sinensis) Wood Fibers and Mape on Some Properties of High Density Polyethylene (Hdpe) Based Polymer Composites

The objective of this study was to investigate the utilization of waste tea wood fibers (WTWF) and effect of maleic anhydride treated polyethylene (MAPE) in thermoplastic composites. For this purpose, HDPE as matrix, WTWF as lignocellulosic filler and MAPE as coupling agent were used. Six different composites were produced by injection molding method; 0-15-30% WTWF filler ratio, with MAPE and without MAPE. The physical, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties of composite materials were determined. As a result, tensile strength, tensile modulus, flexural strength and flexural modulus of the composites were increased with the rise of the WTWF amount in the thermoplastic matrix. However, WTWF increase in the thermoplastic matrix reduced the elongation at break and impact strength of the produced composites. Addition of MAPE in thermoplastic matrix improved tensile strength, flexural strength and flexural modulus of manufactured composites. In the case of thermal properties, addition of WTWF into the thermoplastic matrix increased the char rate of the composites. However, the initial degradation did not change. It appears that waste tea wood fibers may have a potential usage as filler in the HDPE-based thermoplastic composites.