Viscoelastic and thermal analysis of lignocellulosic material filled polypropylene bio-composites

In this study, we investigated the viscoelastic and thermal properties of lignocellulosic material filled polypropylene (PP) bio-composites. Lignocellulosic fillers are totally bio-degradable and PP is a thermoplastic polymer which has good stiffness, tenacity, flexural strength and thermal properties. The thermal and viscoelastic properties of the composites with different filler contents were examined using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), respectively. The effects of the compatibilizing agent were also evaluated. The glass transition (T (g) ) and melting (T (m) ) temperatures of the composites did not vary significantly with the filler content, because no chemical bonding occurred at the interface between the matrix and filler. However, the compatibility between the filler and PP matrix was increased by the incorporation of the compatibilizing agent. The storage modulus (E') of the composites was higher than that of the neat PP, indicating that the incorporation of the natural filler increased their stiffness. The thermal properties of the composites should be considered as an important factor in the manufacturing process and the use of the final products.