SELECTED PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE-BaSO4 COMPOSITES AFTER UV EXPOSURE
Piotr Olesik, Krzysztof Stępień, Aleksander Peryt, Piotr Siejka, Szymon Waluś, Karolina Witczak, Weronika Wójcik, Anna Wolanin
Quarterly No. 1, 2022 pages 50-53
DOI:
keywords: barium sulfate, polypropylene, UV degradation
abstract The paper presents a preliminary study on the effect of an addition of barium sulfate (BaSO4) particles on the mechanical properties of polypropylene (PP) and an evaluation of the effectiveness of this additive in protecting the material against UV rays. Tests were carried on PP samples filled with BaSO4 powder and on samples covered with a protective coating based on BaSO4. Samples of the materials were exposed to UV-C rays for 1000 hours. After exposure, specimens were subjected to static three-point bending tests and hardness examination. Based on the obtained results, it was concluded that BaSO4 reduces the decrease in flexural strength and in hardness caused by exposure to UV-C rays by half in comparison with neat PP. The action of BaSO4 particles as a filler of PP and as a component of a coating applied on the surface of the sample results in similar anti-UV protection of the material. BaSO4 seems to be a commonly available and inexpensive anti-UV protector for plastics.