Effect of Dilute Sulfuric Acid on Some Mechanical Properties of Polyethylene Reinforced With Silica Nanoparticles

This research aims to investigate the effect of dilute sulfuric acid absorption on the impact, hardness, and tensile tests of polyethylene reinforced with nanoparticles of silicon oxide (SiO2) at volume fractions (1%, 3%, and 5%). Samples were prepared using hand molds. Impact, hardness, and tensile tests were performed for different time periods on the prepared samples. All tests were performed under normal conditions (without immersion) and under immersion using dilute solutions of dilute sulfuric acid (0.2 N) for 5 weeks. The results under normal conditions showed an increase in the impact hardness and tensile values. After immersing the pure polyethylene samples in the chemical solution, a decrease in the impact hardness and tensile test values ​​was observed. However, reinforcing the polyethylene with silica nanoparticles significantly improves its mechanical properties, including tensile strength and impact resistance, especially at moderate volume fractions such as 0.1-0.3. The addition of silica also improves the material's resistance to chemical corrosion, especially when exposed to dilute acids. Furthermore, while mechanical performance naturally declines after prolonged immersion, reinforced composites retain their properties better than unreinforced polyethylene.