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Polymer Composites Completely Derived from Waste: The Crystalline Structure and the Mechanical Enhancement Effect

During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, wearing face masks has become the simplest and most effective way to block the spread of the disease. However, after people wear masks, thousands of tons of medical waste caused by used disposable masks is being generated every day in the world, causing great pressure on the environment. Herein, polymer composites completely derived from waste are manufactured by simple melt blending of disposable mask fragments (mask polypropylene, short for mPP) and discarded loofah sponge (LS). LS was used as a reinforcing agent for the composites because of its unique micron channel structure. The crystalline structure and the mechanical enhancement effect of the composites were investigated. LS powders played a role in promoting the crystallization of mPP by expediting the crystalline nucleation, leading to an improvement in the amount of crystalline nuclei. After being incorporated within the mPP with high fluidity, the LS fiber changing from hollow to solid provides reinforcement for composite materials. With 12 wt % LS loading, the tensile strength of the composites was increased by 326%. The findings may open a way for high-value utilization of disposable masks. © 2021 American Chemical Society.