Mechanical properties of Kenaf-thermoplastic natural rubber composites

Kenaf-thermoplastic natural rubber (Kenaf-TPNR) composites were developed and evaluated in this study. The kenaf was blended with TPNR and maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP) as a compatibilizer in an internal mixer (Brabender). The mechanical properties of the composites were investigated by tensile, impact, flexural, and morphologic properties by scanning electron microscope (SEM). The incorporation of the kenaf fiber into the TPNR matrix resulted in an improvement in the tensile strength and Young's modulus. However, the maximum strain and impact strength decreased with increased filler loading. The better performance was attributed to the addition of MAPP due to improvements in the wetting of the filler surface. The addition of MAPP produced composites with improved tensile strength, Young's modulus, and flexural stiffness. SEM was employed to investigate the fiber surface, fiber pullout, and fiber-matrix interaction of composites.