@Article{JPM.2022.39.3-4.1,
AUTHOR = {ALOK K. SAHU, RAJSHREE VIJAYVARGIYA, R. M. SARVIYA},
TITLE = {Study of the Effect of UV-exposure on HDPE/Carbon Black Composite Floating Structure},
JOURNAL = {Journal of Polymer Materials},
VOLUME = {39},
YEAR = {2022},
NUMBER = {3-4},
PAGES = {183--193},
URL = {http://www.techscience.com/jpm/v39n3-4/56014},
ISSN = {0976-3449},
ABSTRACT = {HDPE material is found to be best suited material for the manufacturing of floating bed structure
for the solar photovoltaic (PV) system due to its light weight and excellent mechanical & chemical
resistant properties. However, the major restriction in this regard is the limited engineering
design and also the effect of UV radiations present in the natural environment that leads to the
degradation of the plastic materials. Hence, in order to improve its UV stability carbon black is
incorporated into it as UV resistant additive and hollow cubical floats of such HDPE/carbon
black composite material has been manufactured by rotational molding process and studied.
Similarly, hollow cubical floats of virgin HDPE material was also manufactured and studied for
comparison.<br/>
The mechanical behavior of HDPE and HDPE /carbon black (CB) composite floats have been
evaluated under artificial weathering condition (UV-exposure) at different intervals of time till
1152 hours, to perceive the lifespan of floating bed. It was observed that virgin material degrades
more rapidly as compared to HDPE/Carbon Black (CB) composite floats. HDPE/CB floats do
not show any major degradation of properties even after UV exposure. For virgin HDPE, the
tensile strength & elongation at break were reduced to 42.13% & 52.9% respectively due to
chemical cross linking along with the chain scission which causes photo degradation of the
polymer whereas for HDPE/CB the value limits to 4.2% and 10.38% which confirms uniform
dispersion of carbon black and good interfacial adhesion with HDPE matrix. The impact resistance
did not show any significant change due to UV exposure in both the cases. However, hardness
was increased more (upto 8.19%) in non-filled material due to deterioration of low molecular
weight polymer but it was maintained in HDPE/CB due to the molecules of the filler and polymers are closely packed at macroscopic level so the intermolecular packing of material can be
attributed to modifications in the amorphous regions. It is concluded that HDPE material with
2% CB depicts better mechanical properties for floating bed than virgin HDPE floats after
accelerated UV exposure and is safe to bear the load of solar panels.},
DOI = {10.32381/JPM.2022.39.3-4.1}
}