A Experimental Study on the Rhelogical and Mechanical Properties of Blends of Polyethylene and Modified Oil Shale Ash (MOSA)

Blends of Polyethylene (PE) and modified-oil shale ash (MOSA) with different fractions of MOSA were prepared by the melting blend method. The effects of MOSA content on the rheological and mechanical properties of the blend were properly assessed via direct experimental analysis (more precisely, all rheological measurements were performed using a laboratory-scale XSS-300 torque rheometer with single screw extruder; the temperatures were maintained at 170 degrees C, 180 degrees C and 190 degrees C under continuous extrusion). The prepared samples were observed to display a shear-thinning behaviour. Moreover, with increasing the MOSA content, we found the yield strength of the blends to increase, while its elongation at break tends to decrease. Notably, by adding 3 wt.% MOSA only, the tension yield strength of the blends was 61.18% higher than that of pure PE.