Surface-Grafting of Ground Rubber Tire by Poly Acrylic acid via Self-Initiated Free Radical Polymerization and Composites with Epoxy Thereof

摘要

Commercially available recycled ground rubber tire (GRT) particles, found to contain persistent mechano-free radicals confirmed by electron paramagnetic spectroscopy for the first time self-initiates free radical polymerization of acrylic acid (AA). The poly acrylic acid (PAA) grafted GRT (PAA-g-GRT) was confirmed by Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Epoxy composites using the PAA-g-GRT as filler were prepared and their mechanical properties were studied. The PAA-g-GRT/ep-oxy composite showed higher mechanical properties with an increase of modulus up to 180% as compared with the neat GRT/epoxy composite. Surface morphology of GRT, neat GRT/epoxy, and PAA-g-GRT/epoxy composites were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy. This technology introduces a new concept to functional and reactive recycling and the cost effective utilization of renewable resource green materials