Mechanical properties of virgin and recycled polyolefin based composite laminates reinforced with jute fabric

Polyolefin-based composite laminates reinforced with jute fabric were prepared by compression molding and investigated in terms of flexural properties and impact behavior. The use of a virgin polypropylene as the matrix was compared with two polyolefin matrices coming from discarded car bumpers and selected packaging wastes, respectively, and mainly constituted by mixtures of polyethylene and polypropylene resins. The influence of a coupling agent (maleated polypropylene) was always considered in order to improve the interfacial adhesion and, consequently, the composite strength. The effect of this coupling agent, clearly dependent on the amount of polypropylene phase in the overall mixture, was found to be satisfactory only in the case of virgin polypropylene-based systems. These latter, in presence of maleated polypropylene, have shown higher flexural parameters, lower propagation energy and higher breaking impact load with respect to uncompatibilized ones. Results were supported by morphological observations of impact surfaces, always highlighting a poor adhesion at the reinforcement-matrix interface except in compatibilized virgin polypropylene-based laminates.