Journal
POLYMER-PLASTICS TECHNOLOGY AND ENGINEERING
Volume 48, Issue 11, Pages 1113-1120Publisher
TAYLOR & FRANCIS INC
DOI: 10.1080/03602550903147247
Keywords
Compression molding; Eco-composites; Kenaf fibers; Polypropylene; Rice hulls
Categories
Funding
- EU FP6-INCOWBC programme [INCO-CT-2004-509185]
- Institute of Chemistry and Technology on Polymers-ICTP-CRN, Naples, Italy
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Renewable raw materials and recyclable thermoplastic polymers provide attractive eco-friendly quality as well as environmental sustainability to the resulting natural fiber reinforced composites. We studied the possibility of using the recycled polypropylene (PP) for production of composites based on kenaf fibers (KF) and rice hulls (RH) as reinforcements. Polypropylene/rice-hulls (PP/RH/CA) and polypropylene/kenaf (PP/K/CA) composites with 30% fiber (filler) content and appropriate compatibilizing agent (CA)a maleic anhydride grafted PP (MAPP), have been prepared by two steps procedure: melt mixing and compression molding. Flexural strength and thermal stability of the composites with recycled PP were similar to those with neat PP. The composites reinforced with kenaf fibers have shown better properties than those based on rice hulls. The flexural strength of the composite sample with recycled PP is 51.3MPa in comparison with 51.1MPa for the composite with neat PP. Degradation temperatures of neat and composite with recycled PP at residual weight 90% are 344.4 degrees C and 343.5 degrees C, respectively. The results obtained report the possibility of utilization of recycled PP for the production of natural reinforcements based composites with good mechanical characteristics for using as construction building materials in housing systems.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available