Using Asphalt as an Additive for Waste Cross-Linked Polyethylene Recycled Materials to Improve Thermoplastic Processing

[Image: see text] With good insulation, cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) cables are widely used as an important basic material for power transportation. Due to being insoluble and infused, the cross-linked network structure caused a challenge in the recycling of waste XLPE, which is usually treated by incineration and landfilling. In this research, XLPE was part-de-cross-linked via solid-state shear milling (S(3)M) technology, but the resulting powder was difficult to process. In order to improve the re-processability of XLPE, asphalt with a similar structure was added during the thermoplastic processing. To deeply understand the influence of asphalt on the matrix, the compatibility, dispersion, and rheological properties of the composites were characterized. Due to the good compatibility between de-cross-linked XLPE and asphalt, the viscosity of the composites decreased significantly. Some sea-island structures also formed in composites, which increased the toughness of the composites, so the elongation at break reached as high as 322%. The use of asphalt to achieve the processing performance of part-de-cross-linked XLPE powder was highly effective. Furthermore, the prepared composites showed potential application in the field of waterproofing, which could recycle waste XLPE cables on a large scale.