Rheological behavior of short sisal fiber-reinforced polystyrene composites

The rheological behavior of short sisal fiber-reinforced polystyrene composites containing short sisal-fiber has been studied using an Instron capillary rheometer. The effect of fiber length, fiber loading, shear rate, shear stress and temperature on the rheological behavior of the composites was studied. Unlike other short fiber-reinforced thermoplastics at lower temperature the melt viscosity of polystyrene(PS)-sisal composites are lower than that at higher temperatures. At 180 degrees C the viscosity of the composite is governed by wall-slip, which decreases the viscosity and at 190 degrees C the viscosity is governed by fiber melt interaction that increases the viscosity. The morphology of the extrudate was studied using optical and electron microscopy. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.