Book Overview
Polymer composites play an important role in many industrial sectors, thanks to their low density, ease of processing and the possibility of adapting their properties to application requirements. This work focuses on the development and characterization of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix composites reinforced with chemically treated expanded perlite. The perlite was pre-treated with hydrochloric acid, followed by calcination and surface treatment with stearic acid to improve compatibility with the polymer matrix. Composites were prepared by melt blending with different filler ratios. The influence of perlite content and surface treatment on rheological, mechanical, thermal and structural properties was analyzed using appropriate characterization techniques. The results underline the value of treated perlite as a low-cost mineral filler for optimizing the performance of HDPE composites.
