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Nanostructured Fly Ash as Reinforcement in a Plastomer-Based Composite: A New Strategy in Value Addition to Thermal Power Station Fly Ash

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Abstract

Class-F fly ash (FA) from a coal-fired thermal power station was subjected to high energy ball milling-induced mechanochemical activation aided by a surfactant. Subsequently, ethylene-octene copolymer/mechanochemically activated FA (EOC/MCA-FA) composites were prepared by solution casting. The surface modification of FA was confirmed from contact angle measurements and FTIR spectroscopy, which accounts for a good interaction between MCA-FA and the polymer matrix. X-ray diffraction reveals that the crystallite size of quartz phase present in FA got reduced, while the relative lattice strain on it increased during milling. Morphological studies revealed that interfacial adhesion between the polymer and MCA-FA is good and this accounts for the improvement in mechanical properties of the composites even at the minimum filler loading. Flame retardance of the matrix polymer is improved by the addition of either fresh FA or MCA-FA. The results imply that FA is a valuable reinforcing filler for ethylene-octene copolymer and its mechanochemical activation is an effective strategy for its future use.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Mangalore-575025, Karnataka, India

    Akshata G. Patil & S. Anandhan

  2. Kompetenzzentrum Holz GmbH, W3C, A-9300 St. Veit/Glan, Klagenfurter Strasse, 87-89, Linz, Austria

    Arunjunairaj Mahendran

Authors
  1. Akshata G. Patil
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  2. Arunjunairaj Mahendran
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  3. S. Anandhan
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to S. Anandhan.

Additional information

The authors would like to dedicate this paper to Mrs. G. M. Patil, the mother of Akshata G. Patil, who unexpectedly left this world on the 22nd of October 2013.

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Patil, A.G., Mahendran, A. & Anandhan, S. Nanostructured Fly Ash as Reinforcement in a Plastomer-Based Composite: A New Strategy in Value Addition to Thermal Power Station Fly Ash. Silicon 8, 159–173 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-014-9194-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12633-014-9194-2

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