EFFECTS OF SODIUM BENTONITE ON THE CHARACTERISTICS OF RECYCLED PLASTICCOMPOSITES AS POTENTIAL GEOMEMBRANE

This paper investigates the utilization of post--consumer waste plastic sachets as potential geomembrane in landfills. This study promotes recycling of plastic wastes in Adamson University premises and supports the government advocacy in Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. To confirm the plastic compositions, the plastic waste sachets were subjected to Fourier Transformed Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy analysis. FTIR result shows that plastics were made of polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), and polyester (PET). Subsequently, sodium bentonite (SB) was added to shredded waste plastics at varying percentages of 0, 5, 10 and 15 percent by weight. Then, it was subjected to melt intercalation and compression molding process to produce recycled plastic composites (RPC). Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was performed to determine the melt--intercalation and compression molding temperatures. Consequently, RPC was subjected to different physico--mechanical tests such as density, water absorption, flexural, tensile, izod impact and abrasion tests. Maximum water absorption capacity and tensile strength were observed in RPC with 15% SB. The highest density and flexural strength were observed in RPC with 10% SB content. Moreover, RPC with 5% SB exhibited the highest impact strength and abrasive resistance. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) divulged the poor interfacial adhesion between the polymer blends and unequal dispersion of SB with recycled plastics. Overall, the surface response optimization corroborates that the ultimate percentage of SB was achieved at 10.4% content which has a great potential as geomembrane.