Role of Waste Glass Powder in High Density Polyethylene ( HDPE ) Based Composites for Sustainability: A Thermal, Physical, and Tribo‐Mechanical Analysis

Abstract

ABSTRACT In this study, high‐density polyethylene (HDPE) was reinforced with waste glass powder (WGP) to fabricate a composite, which was subsequently analyzed for its thermal, physical, and tribo‐mechanical properties. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that the incorporation of WGP increased the melting temperature due to restricted polymer chain mobility, while both crystallinity and fusion enthalpy decreased with increasing WGP content. Water absorption increased slightly with WGP content, from 0.01% (neat HDPE) to 0.018% at 20 wt.%, remaining low overall, while shrinkage reduced notably beyond 5 wt.%, reaching 5.8% at 20 wt.%. Higher WGP loadings increased the surface roughness due to particle agglomeration. Shore D hardness and tribological performance improved with WGP content. The optimal coefficient of friction (COF) and specific wear rate (SWR) were achieved at 10 wt.% WGP with a corresponding reduction of 26.67% and 38.28%, respectively. Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) analysis of the worn‐out surfaces confirmed that WGP reinforcement reduced surface deformation; however, particle agglomeration at higher loadings introduced defects. The HDPE/WGP composite exhibited optimal performance at 10 wt.% WGP, highlighting its suitability for low to moderate load wear‐resistant components (e.g., copier/printer gears, bearings in paper mill rollers, outdoor enclosures), where dimensional stability, hardness, and wear resistance are the dominant design criteria.