Mechanical and nonisothermal crystallization properties of coal gasification fine slag glass bead-filled polypropylene composites

Coal gasification fine slag (CGFS) was subjected to calcination at 600 degrees C for 7 h, forming CGFS glass beads (CGFSGB). CGFSGB was successfully incorporated into polypropylene (PP) by melt compounding. The results indicated that CGFSGB has the potential to replace calcium carbonate in the plastics market. Thermogravimetric analysis showed obvious reinforcement in thermal stability by incorporation of CGFSGB, but crystallization ability decreased. The CGFSGB was modified with 3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxy silane (KH570) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) to improve the compatibility between the CGFSGB and PP, resulting in CGFSGB-S and CGFSGB-A, respectively. The tensile strength, thermal stability, and crystallization ability of PP composites and dispersity of the CGFSGB were increased after modification by KH570 and HCl, and the PP/CGFSGB-A composites showed better performance than PP/CGFSGB-S. Surface area and pore structure analysis and transmission electron microscopy revealed that good mechanical performance of PP/CGFSGB-A may be attributed to existence of mesopores in CGFSGB-A. (c) 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019, 136, 47803.