The Effects of Ink Presence on Mechanical, Physical, Morphological and Thermal Properties of Office and Newspaper Fiber-Polypropylene Composites

Abstract

In this study the effects of ink (offset and toner) presence on the mechanical, physical, morphological and thermal properties of newspaper- and office paper fiber-plastic composites were investigated. Printed and unprinted newspaper and office paper fibers were mixed with recycled polypropylene at 50 % by weight fiber loading. The samples were produced with extrusion and compression moulding. The mechanical properties, water absorption and thermal resistances of unprinted and printed newspaper- and office paper fiber-polypropylene composites were compared. In addition, samples were characterized with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The obtained results showed that ink presence in the fiber matrix enhanced the water resistance and mechanical properties of fiber plastic composites. Due to ink formulation and fiber characteristics, better results were obtained with printed office paper fiber-plastic composites than with printed newspaper fiber-plastic composites. Scanning electron microscopy investigation also confirmed the good interaction between polypropylene and toner-printed office paper fiber. Moreover, differential scanning calorimetry measurements showed that higher crystallization (χ_cor) values on printed office paper- and newspaper fiber-plastic composites. This work demonstrated that undeinked waste paper fibers could be effectively used as the reinforcing filler in thermoplastic matrices.