Mechanical, Thermal and Dynamic-Mechanical Behavior of Banana Fiber Reinforced Polypropylene Nanocomposites

Natural fiber-reinforced nanocomposites based on polypropylene/nanoclay/banana fibers were fabricated by melt mixing in a twin-screw extruder followed by compression molding in this current study. Maleic anhydride polypropylene copolymer (MA-g-PP) was used as a compatibilizer to increase the compatibility between the PP matrix, clay, and banana fiber to enhance exfoliation of organoclay and dispersion of fibers into the polymer matrix. Variation in mechanical, thermal, and physico-mechanical properties with the addition of banana fiber into the PP nanocomposites was investigated. It was observed that 3 wt% of nanoclay and 5 wt% of MA-g-PP within PP matrix resulted in an increase in tensile and flexural strength by 41.3% and 45.6% as compared with virgin PP. Further, incorporation of 30 wt% banana fiber in PP nanocomposites system increases the tensile and flexural strength to the tune of 27.1% and 15.8%, respectively. The morphology of fiber reinforced PP nanocomposites has been examined by using scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Significant enhancement in the thermal stability of nanocomposites was also observed due to the presence of nanoclay under thermogravimetric analysis. Dynamic mechanical analysis tests revealed an increase in storage modulus (E') and damping factor (tan delta), conforming the strong interaction between nanoclay/banana fiber and MA-g-PP in the fiber-reinforced nanocomposites systems. POLYM. COMPOS., 32:1190-1201, 2011. (C) 2011 Society of Plastics Engineers