Evaluation of viscoelastic, thermal, morphological, and biodegradation properties of polypropylene nano-biocomposites using natural fiber and multi-walled carbon nanotubes

This article investigates the performances of polypropylene/kenaf fiber/polypropylene-grafted maleic anhydride/multiwall carbon nanotube (PP/kenaf/PP-g-MA/MWCNT) nano-biocomposites in terms of viscoelastic, thermal, and biodegradability properties. Nano-biocomposites with kenaf weight content of 30 wt%, fiber length of 6 mm and different contents of MWCNTs (0.5-2 wt%) were produced for testing and characterization. The samples were made by melt compounding in Brabender internal mixer and then hot and cold pressing. The dynamic mechanical thermal analysis results showed that the incorporation of MWCNT enhanced the storage and loss moduli of the PP/kenaf/PP-g-MA biocomposites. Differential scanning calorimetry results depicted an increase in the melting and crystallization temperatures of PP/kenaf/PP-g-MA biocomposites with the increase of MWCNT contents. The biodegradation of biocomposites was investigated in the activated sludge on a laboratory scale for 10 months in order to study the rates of biodegradation of the samples. The biodegradability test conducted on each specimen illustrated that the produced biocomposites are subjected to partial biodegradation, judging by the change in mechanical properties and weight of them after the test. Morphological study which characterized using scanning electron microscopy technique verified that a good and homogeneous distribution of MWCNT through the biocomposites; however; some aggregates were revealed at higher MWCNTs content. POLYM. COMPOS., POLYM. COMPOS., 39:E592-E600, 2018. (c) 2018 Society of Plastics Engineers