Mechanical property characterization of recycled thermoplastics [electronic resource] /

by Bargo, Johnny E.

Mechanical Property Characterization of Recycled Thermoplastics Johnny E. Bargo Reuse of engineering thermoplastics retrieved from discarded computers, monitors and printers called as electronic shredder residue is described in the following thesis. Virgin, blend of virgin and recycled, and 100% recycled polymers such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and polycarbonate (PC) are characterized for mechanical properties as part of this research. This research consists of characterization of mechanical properties such as tension, bending, compression, impact, hardness, and creep of ABS and PC plastics. Long-term mechanical property retention and environmental durability are very important for infrastructure and automotive applications. The resins alone do not have the strength or stiffness to meet the requirements of certain automobile or construction applications. Hence, to obtain improved mechanical properties, the polymers in this research are characterized by adding fibers during the manufacturing process. It was found that the recycled ABS and PC polymers retain at least 85% and in some cases over 90% of the tension, bending, and compression strength and stiffness properties compared to virgin polymers. Based on test results it is concluded that recycled polymers have significant potential for high-volume infrastructure and automotive applications because of a high percent of mechanical property retention under long-term loading conditions. This Thesis is dedicated to My Wife, Heather, and My Parents iii