ABSTRACT
ALEXANDER BILYK,* SHENG LI, WOJCDECH STANISLAW GUTOWSKI, MARIA ESPIRITU and IKO BURGAR CSIRO Manufacturing and Infrastructure Technology, Interface Engineering & Intelligent Materials Surfaces Group, PO Box 56, Melbourne, Highett, Victoria 3190, Australia
1. INTRODUCTION
The use of polyolefins (e.g., polyethylene and polypropylene) composites as engineering materials is on the rise. Factors that contribute to their increasing use are relatively easy processing, the abilty to prepare composites based on these polymers that exhibit a wide variety of bulk properties, their relatively low cost and low adverse impact on the environment. A particularly favourable scenario in the automotive industry would be the use of a single polymer in the construction of all interior and exterior components of a car, which would greatly simplify the recycling of composite parts. With all this promise there is a major shortfall in the use of polyolefins which arises from the inert nature of their surfaces. The inert surfaces may be advantageous for some applications but if bonding or painting is required the use of such materials is problematic, thus limiting their potential use.
