ABSTRACT The mixing of recycled ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) with polyolefins is aimed to reduce the environmental impact of waste materials. In this work, blends of recycled ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene in different proportions as dispersed phase and linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE) as matrix were made by extrusion. The rheological behavior at 200 °C and tensile and abrasion properties of blends as well as their morphology were determined. These blends exhibited an increase in complex viscosity, storage modulus and Young`s modulus with the increase in recycled UHMWPE content. Additionally, several rheological criteria were applied to all blends for assessing the miscibility of the blend components in the molten state. The analysis of Cole-Cole plots and Han-Chuang curves confirmed the immiscibility of recycled UHMWPE fragments in the LLDPE continuous phase. Moreover, a reduction between 26 and 34%, in the elongation at break was obtained with the increase in the proportion of recycled UHMWPE because of particles of recycled UHMWPE that had not melted. Summarizing, in this work, it was possible to incorporate recycled UHMWPE into LLDPE by extrusion, resulting in blends with similar values of tensile strength and abrasion resistance as those of LLDPE matrix. This proves that it is possible to incorporate industrial fragments of recycled UHMWPE in the manufacture of plastic parts without significant loss of mechanical properties, reducing the problem of disposal of industrial wastes.
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