Effects of bone particle on the properties and microstructure of polypropylene/bone ash particulate composites

The effects of uncarbonized (fresh) and carbonized bone particles on the microstructure and properties of polypropylene composites have been studied. The addition of the bone particles ranges from 5 to 25 wt% in uncarbonized and carbonized forms in the polypropylene matrix. The physical and mechanical properties were used as criteria for the evaluation of the composites. Microstructures of the composites were assessed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM/EDS). The results revealed that the addition of carbonized bone particles reinforcement has superior properties than uncarbonized bone particles composite based materials with an increase in the compressive strength, hardness values, tensile strength and flexural strength by 53%, 45% and 35% respectively, and a decrease in the % elongation and impact energy by 75% and 32%, respectively at 25 wt% carbonized bone, with 28% increase in tensile strength at 15 wt% carbonized bone addition. The increase in strength and hardness values was attributed to the distribution of hard phases of bone particles in the ductile polypropylene matrix. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.