Comparison of the mechanical properties of rice husk powder filled polypropylene composites with talc filled polypropylene composites

Unmodified and ground talc and rice husk (RHP) fillers were compounded with polypropylene (PP) separately in a Brabender plasticorder internal mixer at 180 degreesC and 50 rpm in order to obtain composites, which contain 0-60% php (per 100 part of polymer) of filler at 15% intervals. The Brabender torque development and the mechanical properties of the composites with reference to filler type and filler loading were investigated. In terms of mechanical properties, Young's modulus and flexural modulus increased, whereas yield strength and elongation at break decreased with the increase in filler loading for both types of composite. Of these PP composites, the RHP composites exhibited lower yield strength, Young's modulus, flexural modulus, and higher elongation at break than talc composites. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to examine the structure of the fracture surface and to justify the variation of the measured mechanical properties. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.