Determination of polyethylene content in mixed polyethylene/polypropylene composites to modulate their melt flux and impact index properties

聚合物复合材料的回收是一个重要的工业过程，对**环境和公众健康有重大影响。由再生聚合物组成的基体材料是从**城市固体废物和固定化工业固体废物中回收的。聚合物回收有限公司是设计和制造再生聚合物的全球领导者，生产小尺寸塑料作为成品。**公司目前正在寻求提高其再生塑料的质量。特别是，为了生产具有更高技术质量的再生材料，定量测量PE/聚丙烯复合材料中的聚乙烯（PE）含量对该公司至关重要。在这个Engage**项目中，我们将首先开发一种用于定量测定此类**复合材料中PE含量的新方案。然后，我们将研究这些材料的熔体流动指数作为其PE含量的函数。事实上，这些复合材料的PE含量对其熔体流动指数值有显著影响，而熔体流动指数值又能很好地反映其流变学和理化性能。最后，将使用扫描电子显微镜、x射线光电子能谱和差示扫描量热法等技术研究所得产品的性质。因此，通过开发一种方法来确定原料复合材料的PE含量，将它们与相应的熔体流动指数值联系起来，并评估产品的理化性能，我们的目标是帮助Polymer Recycle Inc.生产具有高技术质量特性的可再生聚合物产品。

Recycling of polymer composites is an important industrial process that has substantial impact on the**environment and public health. The matrix materials composed of recycled polymers are reclaimed from**municipal solid wastes and immobilizing industrial solid wastes. Polymer Recycle Inc., a world leader in the**design and manufacture of recycled polymers, produces reduced-size plastics as the finished products. The**company is currently searching for improvements in the quality of their recycled plastics. In particular, to**produce recycled materials with higher technical qualities, quantitative measurement of polyethylene (PE)**content in their PE/polypropylene composites is of substantial importance for the company. In this Engage**project, we will first develop a new protocol for the quantitative determination of PE content in such**composites. We will then investigate the melt flow index of these materials as a function of their PE content. In**fact, PE content of these composites has significant impact on their resulting melt flow index values which, in**turn, is a good indication of their rheological and physiochemical properties. Finally, the resulting properties of**the products will be investigated using techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron**spectroscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry. Thus, by developing a method to determine the PE content**of feed stock composites, relating them to their corresponding melt flow index values, and evaluating the**resulting physiochemical properties of the products, we aim to assist Polymer Recycle Inc. to produce recycled**polymeric products with modulated, high technical quality properties.