An innovative polymer composite prepared through the recycling of spent lead-acid battery separators

Lead-acid batteries (LABs) are extensively utilized worldwide because of their unique properties, such as low cost, high energy density, and reliability. However, they have a relatively short lifespan and must be replaced frequently, thus contributing to a constant waste stream. Lead-acid battery separator recycling involves disposing of used polyethylene separator material from spent lead-acid batteries. An environmentally friendly, economical, and safe method of recycling PE-separators is essential to prevent soil and groundwater contamination. In this research purified spent PE-separator added to HDPE and LLDPE to prepare green composites. Therefore, PE-separators are purified using sand washing and ground with an internal mixer to prepare for mixing with HDPE and LLDPE. Subsequently, the composites were produced with 5, 10, and 15% ground PE-separator using a melt mixing process in an internal mixer. In the presence of PE-separator particles, the elastic modulus of LLDPE was enhanced by around 20%, and the flexural modulus of HDPE increased by approximately 60%. Additionally, HDPE's flexural strength improved by 49%, enhancing its suitability for applications in corrugated pipes. The carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions, primarily carbon dioxide, produced by any human activity, and was calculated for this study. The method proposed in this study emits 67.3% less CO2 compared to the pyrolysis method, which has significant implications for developing novel composite materials with improved mechanical properties and decreased environmental impact through the utilization of waste materials.