Tensile properties and water absorption of wood sawdust filled polypropylene composites
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Date
2018-06
Authors
Seow, Pek Ying
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Abstract
The biodegradability of natural fiber is one of the most promising aspects that
related totheir incorporation in polymeric materials. The aim of this project is to
compare the performance of treated and untreated wood sawdust filled PP composites
with different fiber loading which are 2.5 wt%, 5 wt%, 7.5 wt% and 10 wt%.
Comparison on the properties of wood sawdust composites with various types of
natural fiber and filler composites was carried out. The wood sawdust was treated with
NaOH solution. Sawdust filled PP composites were compounded by using Thermo
Haake Polydrive internal mixer followed by compression molding. The tensile
properties, morphology, chemical functional group analysis and water absorption of
composites were analysed. In general, the treated sawdust filled PP composites exhibit
7.1% and 4.1% improvement in tensile strength and tensile modulus at 2.5 wt% and 7.5
wt%, respectively than those untreated sawdust filled PP. Based on the morphology
observation, rougher surface introduced by the alkaline treatment increases the surface
area of contact of the fiber and matrix by improving the interfacial bonding.
Furthermore, treated sawdust filled PP composites show 7.8% lower water absorption
as compared with untreated sawdust filled PP composites. Besides, the tensile
properties such as tensile strength and Young’s modulus of various types of natural
fibers were compared. In general, coconut shell shows the highest tensile properties
compared to those composites with wood sawdust, kenaf fiber and egg shell filled PP
composites. In conclusion, treated sawdust composites exhibit a positive effect on PP
composites properties compared to the untreated sawdust composites.