Fuente: Polymers Polymers, Vol. 18, Pages 1307: Development and Performance Evaluation of Residue-Reinforced Recycled HDPE and Bio-Based PP Packaging via Blow Extrusion
Polymers doi: 10.3390/polym18111307
Authors:
Bruna Basto
Bárbara Freitas
Fernando Leite
João Bessa
Gonçalo Oliveira
Ricardo Neto
Raul Fangueiro

This study investigates the development and performance of polyolefin-based packaging materials reinforced with industrial mineral residues, specifically slate powder (SP) and bivalve shell powder (BSP). High-density polyethylene (HDPE) and polypropylene (PP) matrices were compounded with these fillers and processed by extrusion blow moulding to produce final prototypes. Thermal analyses (TGA and DSC) showed that incorporating SP and BSP does not compromise the thermal stability of the polymer matrices and increases stiffness in the filled formulations. Accelerated ageing (QUV, 200 h) revealed distinct photo-oxidative behaviours. PP and PP + BSP (30%) exhibited increased fragility and moderate colour changes, whereas PP + SP (10%) retained flexibility, indicating a partial protective effect of SP. HDPE-based formulations showed higher intrinsic UV resistance, with HDPE + BSP (30%) displaying excellent colour stability. Tensile tests before and after QUV exposure confirmed that fillers increase stiffness with limited influence on tensile strength. Air permeability results indicated that neat PP and HDPE were below the detection limit. At the same time, filled formulations exhibited measurable permeability, suggesting that filler incorporation may influence gas transport through interfacial effects. Overall, the results show that SP and BSP act as reinforcing additives and can modify functional properties such as stiffness and ageing resistance. However, their influence on barrier performance depends on the formulation and permeation mechanism.