Mechanical and water sorption properties of untreated footwear leather off-cuts (UFLO) reinforced waste high density polyethylene (wHDPE) composites for the production of boot-last

Abstract

The utilization of waste polymers in footwear leather off-cuts fibre composites provides a useful material that is environmentally friendly. This work aimed at studying the mechanical and sorption properties of composites produced from wHDPE and UFLO. The matrix was waste high density polyethylene (wHDPE) and untreated footwear leather off-cut (UFLO) fibre as reinforcement. The composites were compounded using two roll melt mixing machine and compression moulding technique in the following weight percent of the fibre loading: 10%, 20%, 30%, 40% and 50% respectively. Subsequently, the mechanical and water sorption properties of the composites were analyzed. The results obtained indicated that, the tensile strength of the composites decreases as the fibre loads increases. The composites with 10 %wt fraction of the UFLO fibre recorded the highest strength of 19.11 MPa, while the lowest was obtained at 50 %wt fraction of the fibre. The highest impact energy of 4.5 J/mm² of the composites was recorded at 10 %wt fraction of the fibre. From the water sorption results, composite with 10 %wt fraction of UFLO fibre recorded the lowest water sorption properties of 0.78 % as compared to 20.27 % of the 50 %wt UFLO. Owing to the results obtained, these composites showed a promising mechanical and sorption properties for the production of boot-last as the tensile strength and water sorption of boot-last should not be less than 17.92 MPa 0.39 % and not more than 30.00 MPa and 11.57 % respectively.