Rice straw as an alternative reinforcement in polypropylene composites

We studied the use of rice straw as reinforcement in maleated polypropylene ( PPm). Composites containing 20 and 30% by weight rice straw were successfully prepared by extrusion and compression molding. The samples were characterized by tensile tests, differential scanning calorimetry ( DSC), thermogravimetry ( TGA), dynamo-mechanical analysis ( DMTA) and scanning electron microscopy ( SEM). The results of the mechanical properties showed that rice straw can be used as an alternative reinforcement for polypropylene. Higher tensile moduli ( E) were obtained for composites containing higher rice straw content. Thermogravimetric curves of the composites exhibit two-stage decomposition process and slightly higher thermal stability. Higher crystallization ( T-c) and melting peak temperatures for composites were detected by DSC analysis ( T-cpp = 107.8 degrees C, T-cRS/PP(20/80) = 114.5 degrees C). The renewability of rice straw and the recyclability of thermoplastic polypropylene provide an attractive eco-friendly quality to the resulting composites.