Mechanical, sorption and adhesive properties of composites based on low density polyethylene filled with date palm wood powder

• The Younǵs modulus of the composites increased 13 times.
• The flexural strength of composites was improved 2 times.
• The polarity of LDPE was significantly enhanced.
• The adhesion of composites to the polar substrates was improved.

Low density polyethylene (LDPE) was blended with date palm wood powder (DPW) to prepare composites with concentrations of filler ranging from 10 to 70 wt.%. The Younǵs modulus of the composites significantly increased with an increase in the filler content in the entire concentration range. The maximum value of 1933 MPa for the composite filled with 70 wt.% of the filler is approximately 13 times higher than that for the neat LDPE.The presence of the filler improved the flexural strength, which was represented by the flexural stress at peak. The flexural strength of 17.8 MPa for the composite filled with 70 wt.% of the filler was two-times greater than that for the neat LDPE. The water absorption test revealed that the composites had a strong tendency to absorb water, which was dependent on the filler content. The experimental data were compared with several theoretical models.

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