Abstract
This study develops sustainable recycled polymer composites by recycling secondary waste wood fibres (WWF) reinforced chemically functionalized polypropylene (CF-PP) composites, the WWF/CF-PP composites with 15%, 25%, and 35% WWF by weight. Compared to the R-(CF-PP) recycled matrix, the 15/85, 25/75, and 35/65 R-(WWF/CF-PP) recycled composites show approx. 33%, 67%, 84% higher tensile modulus and approx. 32%, 53%, 76% higher tensile strength, respectively; approx. 7%, 21%, 31% higher flexural strength and approx. 38%, 65%, 100% higher flexural modulus, respectively; and approx. 9%, 20%, and 31% higher unnotched Izod impact strength, respectively. These higher mechanical properties are due to the retained interfacial bonding between the matrix/reinforcement in the recycled composites, which is established by their FE-SEM micrographs, and FTIR establishes that ester and hydrogen bonds between the reinforcement and matrix are also retained in the recycled composites. The design of a sustainable Front Elevation of Desk-Top Book Reading Stand (FE-DTBRS) has been performed using the Total Idea Generation Approach (TIGA), Morphological Chart Method (MCM), and Objective Tree Method (OTM). This study demonstrates the successful recycling of WWF/CF-PP composites, their application in the sustainable design of a FE-DTBRS, and its fabrication by injection molding. This study also presents the potential of R-(WWF/CF-PP) composites for other eco-friendly, sustainable, and economical products.
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