Preparation of an anti-fouling silicone polyacrylate/SiO2/HDPE composite for industrial wastewater pipe

To mitigate clogging during industrial wastewater piping, a low surface energy composite was prepared by incorporating Silicon-containing acrylate polymer (SAP) and hydrophobically modified SiO 2 nanoparticles into High-density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix. The morphological structure, thermal behavior, and anti-fouling performance of the composite were studied. The results showed that the prepared composite has both good thermal stability and compatibility. The acrylate polymer and nanoparticles in the composite not only enhance its hydrophobicity but also decrease the associated surface energy, which may reduce pipe clogging potentials. Besides, the anti-fouling performance of the prepared composite is superior to that of the typical commercial pipe materials, e.g., Polyvinyl chloride (PVC), Polypropylene random (PPR), and Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), indicated by a dispensing industrial wastewater immersion experiment.