Amir Nourbakhsh | Research Institute of Forests and Rangelands (original) (raw)

Papers by Amir Nourbakhsh

Polymer-plastics Technology and Engineering, Jan 2, 2014

ABSTRACT This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., bagasse and corn st... more ABSTRACT This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., bagasse and corn stalk fibers) along with E-glass fiber in order to evaluate and compare their suitability as reinforcement for thermoplastic composites. The hybrid effect of glass and cellulosic fibers on the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the composites were investigated. Water absorption and thickness swelling were also studied. In general, the hybrid composites presented superior properties compared to the control (without glass fiber) samples. Additionally, synergistic improvements in the physico-mechanical properties of composites were obtained with the addition of glass fiber. Overall trend shows that with the addition of agro-waste materials, tensile and flexural properties of the composites were moderately enhanced. However, corn stalk fibers showed superior mechanical properties due to their high aspect ratio and chemical characteristics. Addition of glass fibers into the composites considerably enhanced tensile, flexural, and impact properties without having significant effect on the elongation at break. Morphological study also confirmed the impact behavior of composites. Moreover, incorporation of glass fiber with agro-waste fibers in PP matrix considerably decreased the water uptake and thickness swelling of the hybrid composites.

This work investigates the feasibility of using recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE), recyc... more This work investigates the feasibility of using recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE), recycled polypropylene (rPP) and old newsprint fiber (ONP) to manufacture fiber reinforced composites. The boards were made through air-forming and hot press. The effects of the fiber loading and coupling agent content on tensile, flexural, internal bond properties and water absorption and thickness swelling of wood-fiber plastic composites were studied. In general, the weight content of ONP is a key parameter that would substantially influence the physical and mechanical properties of the samples. The obtained results showed that the use of maleated polypropylene as coupling agent, improved the compatibility between the fiber and both plastic matrices, and mechanical properties of the resultant composites compared well with those of non-coupled ones. Based on the findings in this study, it appears that recycled materials can be used to manufacture value-added boards without having any significant adverse influence on board properties. It was also found that composites with rHDPE provided moderately superior properties, compared with rPP samples.

Journal of Applied Polymer Science, May 5, 2009

In this work, the effects of nanoclay (1-4 wt %) and coupling agent (2 and 4 wt %) loading on the... more In this work, the effects of nanoclay (1-4 wt %) and coupling agent (2 and 4 wt %) loading on the physical and mechanical properties of nanocomposites are investigated. Composites based on polypropylene (PP), bagasse flour, and nanoclay (montmorillonite type) was made by melt compounding and then compression molding. When 1-3 wt % nanoclay was added, the tensile properties increased significantly, but then decreased slightly as the nanoclay content increased to 4%. The impact strength was 6% lower by the addition of 1 wt % nanoclay, it was decreased further when the nanoclay content increased from 1 to 4%. Finally, the water absorption of PP/bagasse composites was lowered with the increase in nanoclay content. Additionally, the coupling agent, 4 wt % MAPP, improved the mechanical and physical properties of the composites more than the 2 wt % MAPP. From these results, we can conclude that addition of nanoclay enables to achieve better physical and mechanical properties in conventional composites. V

Polymer Composites, 2008

... and Aspen Fiber Alireza Ashori,1 Amir Nourbakhsh2 1Department of Chemical Industries, Iranian... more ... and Aspen Fiber Alireza Ashori,1 Amir Nourbakhsh2 1Department of Chemical Industries, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), PO Box 15815-3538, Tehran, Iran ... 13. A. Karmarkar, SS Chauhan, JM Modak, and M. Chanda, Compos. ...

Polymer Engineering and Science, Sep 20, 2010

This article presents the effects of coupling agent and nanoclay (NC) on some properties of wood ... more This article presents the effects of coupling agent and nanoclay (NC) on some properties of wood flour/polypropylene composites. The composites with different NC and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) contents were fabricated by melt compounding in a twin-screw extruder and then by injection molding. The mass ratio of the wood flour to polymer was 40/60 (w/ w). Results showed that applying MAPP on the surface of the wood flour can promote filler polymer interaction, which, in turn, would improve mechanical properties of the composite as well as its water uptake and thermal stability. Composite voids and the lumens of the fibers were filled with NC, which prevented the penetration of water by the capillary action into the deeper parts of composite. Therefore, the water absorption in composites fabricated using NC was significantly reduced. Scanning electron microscopy has shown that the treatment of composites with 5 wt% MAPP, promotes better fiber-matrix interaction, resulting in a few numbers of pull-out traces. In all cases, the degradation temperatures shifted to higher values after using MAPP. The largest improvement on the thermal stability of composites was achieved when NC was added. POLYM. ENG.

Polymers & Polymer Composites, Jun 1, 2008

The effect of coupling agent and fi ber content on physical and mechanical properties of a lignoc... more The effect of coupling agent and fi ber content on physical and mechanical properties of a lignocellulosic materialthermoplastic polymer composite was examined. Using poplar fi ber as the reinforcing fi ller, polypropylene as the thermoplastic matrix polymer, and maleated polypropylene as the coupling agent, reinforced composites were prepared. In the sample preparation, three levels of fi ber loading (55, 70 and 85 wt.%) and three levels of coupling agent content (0, 2 and 4 wt.%) were used. The mechanical strengths of the composites slightly increased as the fi ber loading increased, but the physicomechanical properties were signifi cantly improved with the addition of the coupling agent.

Journal of Composite Materials, Jul 9, 2009

Polymer Composites, 2008

Wood fibers are increasingly being used as reinforcement in commercial thermoplastic composites d... more Wood fibers are increasingly being used as reinforcement in commercial thermoplastic composites due to their low cost, high specific properties and renewable nature. The ultimate goal of our research was to find a fundamental understanding of the mechanical behavior of poplar/polypropylene (PP) composites. The effect of wood fiber concentrations and mixing temperature on the mechanical properties of composites, prepared by using MAPP as the coupling agent, was investigated. In the sample preparation, four levels of fiber loading (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt%) and three compounding temperatures (180, 190, and 200oC) were used. Most major changes in composite performance occurred at fiber contents above 30%. The results clearly showed that the fiber loading of 30 and 40 wt% at 190oC was provided adequate reinforcement to increase the tensile and flexural strength of the PP powder. The modulus also increased with increasing the fiber content, because poplar fibers are believed to be more rigid than polymer. However the addition of wood fibers resulted in a decrease in elongation and impact properties of the composites. The FTIR spectroscopy showed that the copolymer was bonded to the fibers by ester linkages and hydrogen bonds at 1705–1735 cm−1. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers

Industrial Crops and Products, Sep 1, 2008

In this study, the influence of press cycle time and resin content (RC) on some of the physical a... more In this study, the influence of press cycle time and resin content (RC) on some of the physical and mechanical properties of single-layer particleboard manufactured from the low-quality raw materials were determined. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), saltcedar (Tamarix stricta) and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) wood, which is underutilized invasive species in southern parts of Iran, were used as alternative raw materials for particleboard manufacturing. Variable factors were as resin content (9, 10 and 11%) and press time (PT) (4, 5 and 6 min). Other parameters such as type of resin (UF), hardener content (2%), type of hardener (NH 4 Cl), press-closing time (4.5 mm/s), board density (0.75 g/cm 3), press pressure (30 kg/m 2) and press temperature (160 • C) were held constant. The experimental panels were tested for their mechanical strength including modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bonding (IB) and physical stability properties (thickness swelling) according to the procedures defined by European Union (EN) Standard. Overall results showed that most panels made from above-mentioned materials exceed the EN Standards for IB, MOE and MOR. The mechanical properties of particleboard were improved as the resin content increased from 9 to 11%. The results indicated that the polymerization of resin and wood is better at 11% resin content and 5 min of press time. However, thickness-swelling (TS) values were higher (poor) than requirements. Panels made of mesquite, saltcedar and date palm with a resin content of 11% and pressed for 5 min is adequate for general uses while eucalyptus with a resin content of 11% and pressed for 6 min is suitable for interior decoration.

Bioresource Technology, Apr 1, 2010

This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., corn stalk, reed stalk, and ... more This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., corn stalk, reed stalk, and oilseed stalk) in order to evaluate and compare their suitability as reinforcement for thermoplastics as an alternative to wood fibers. The effects of fiber loading and CaCO(3) content on the mechanical properties were also studied. Overall trend shows that with addition of agro-waste materials, tensile and flexural properties of the composites are significantly enhanced. Oilseed fibers showed superior mechanical properties due to their high aspect ratio and chemical characteristics. The order of increment in the mechanical properties of the composites is oilseed stalk >corn stalk>reed stalk at all fiber loadings. The tensile and flexural properties of the composite significantly decreased with increasing CaCO(3) content, due to the reduction of interface bond between the fiber and matrix. It can be concluded from this study that the used agro-waste materials are attractive reinforcements from the standpoint of their mechanical properties.

Waste Management, Apr 1, 2010

This investigation aims to study the potential of waste agricultural residues, such as rice husk ... more This investigation aims to study the potential of waste agricultural residues, such as rice husk and coir pith particulates, as reinforcement in epoxy matrix as an alternative to wood and plastic based components. The composites were prepared using the compression molding technique by varying the particulate weight content from 10 to 50%. The tensile test, flexural test and impact test were performed to study the mechanical properties of the prepared composites and the morphological study in fractured specimens was carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The addition of rice husk and coir pith particulates to reinforce the epoxy composite has considerably increased the mechanical properties of the composites. This investigation suggested the possibility of introducing hybrid bioparticulates obtained from waste agricultural residues in polymer matrix composites.

Polymer Composites, Apr 30, 2015

This paper presents the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as reinforcing agent on s... more This paper presents the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as reinforcing agent on some properties of natural fiber/polypropylene composites. In the sample preparation, MWCNT contents and fiber types (bagasse stalk and poplar) were used as variable parameters. The composites with different MWCNT contents were fabricated by melt compounding in a twin-screw extruder and then by injection molding. The mass ratio of the wood flour to polymer was 40/60 (w/w). The mechanical properties of composites in terms of tensile, flexural, and Izod impact strength were evaluated. The morphology of the specimens was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Based on the findings of this study, it appears that mechanical properties reached the maximum when 2.5 wt% MWCNT were used. However, addition of 3.5 wt% MWCNT could not enhance the mechanical properties considerably. TEM micrographs showed that at high level of MWCNT loading (3.5 wt%) increased population of MWCNT leads to agglomeration and stress transfer gets blocked. The mechanical properties of composites filled with poplar fibers were generally greater than bagasse stalk composites.

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Jun 4, 2008

Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Mar 5, 2009

In this research, fully environment-friendly, sustainable and biodegradable composites were fabri... more In this research, fully environment-friendly, sustainable and biodegradable composites were fabricated, using wheat straw and rice husk as reinforcements for thermoplastics, as an alternative to wood fibers. Mechanical properties including tensile, flexural, and impact strength properties were examined as a function of the amount of fiber and coupling agent used. In the sample preparation, three levels of fiber loading (30, 40, and 50 wt %) and two levels of coupling agent content (0 and 2 wt %) were used. As the percentage of fiber loading increased, flexural and tensile properties increased significantly. Notched Izod results showed a decrease in strength as the percentage of fiber increases. With addition of 50% fiber, the impact strengths decreased to 16.3, 14.4, and 16.4 J/m respectively, for wheat straw-, rice husk-, and poplar-filled composites. In general, presence of coupling agent had a great effect on the mechanical strength properties. Wheat straw-and rice husk-filled composites showed an increase in the tensile and flexural properties with the incorporation of the coupling agent. From these results, we can conclude that wheat straw and rice husk fibers can be potentially suitable raw materials for manufacturing biocomposite products. V

Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Feb 15, 2009

Using bagasse fiber as the reinforcing filler and polypropylene as the thermoplastic matrix polym... more Using bagasse fiber as the reinforcing filler and polypropylene as the thermoplastic matrix polymer, a reinforced composite was prepared, and its mechanical properties examined as a function of the amount of compatibilizing agents used. In the sample preparation, four levels of fiber loading (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt %), three levels of polybutadiene isocyanate (PBNCO) content (0, 2, and 4 wt %) and two levels of maleated polypropylenes (MAPP) content (0 and 3 wt %) as compatibilizing agents were used. The tensile properties of the composites improved as the fiber loading and the compatibilizing agents increased, but the impact strength was significantly decreased. The mechanical study revealed that the positive effect of compatibilizing agents on interfacial bonding. The composites treated with PBNCO showed superior tensile and impact properties than those without treatment. The findings indicated that bagasse as agro-waste material is a valuable renewable natural resource for composite production and could be utilized as a substitute for wood in composite industries. V

Composites Part B-engineering, 2014

The objective of this research was to study the potential of waste agricultural residues such as ... more The objective of this research was to study the potential of waste agricultural residues such as rice-husk fiber (RHF), bagasse fiber (BF), and waste fish (WF) as reinforcing and biodegradable agents for thermoplastic composites. Addition of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) as coupling agent was performed to promote polymer/fiber interfacial adhesion. Several composites with various polypropylene (PP) as polymer matrix, RHF, BF, WF, and MAPP contents were fabricated by melt compounding in a twinscrew extruder and then by injection molding. The resulting composites were evaluated through mechanical properties in terms of tensile, flexural, elongation at break and Izod notched impact following ASTM procedures. Biodegradability of the composites was measured using soil burial test in order to study the rates of biodegradation of the composites. In general, the addition of RHF and BF promoted an increase in the mechanical properties, except impact strength, compared with the neat PP. According to the results, WF did not have reinforcing effect on the mechanical properties, while it could considerably improve the biodegradation of the composites. It was found that the composites with high content of WF had higher degradation rate. Except impact strength, all mechanical properties were found to enhance with increase in cellulosic fiber loading In addition, mechanical properties and biodegradability of the composites made up using RHF was superior to those of the composites fabricated with BF, due to its morphological (aspect ratio) characteristics.

Journal of Composite Materials, Jul 9, 2009

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Aug 29, 2008

Waste Management & Research, Jun 11, 2009

Journal of Composite Materials, Apr 1, 2009

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY

Polymer-plastics Technology and Engineering, Jan 2, 2014

ABSTRACT This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., bagasse and corn st... more ABSTRACT This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., bagasse and corn stalk fibers) along with E-glass fiber in order to evaluate and compare their suitability as reinforcement for thermoplastic composites. The hybrid effect of glass and cellulosic fibers on the tensile, flexural, and impact properties of the composites were investigated. Water absorption and thickness swelling were also studied. In general, the hybrid composites presented superior properties compared to the control (without glass fiber) samples. Additionally, synergistic improvements in the physico-mechanical properties of composites were obtained with the addition of glass fiber. Overall trend shows that with the addition of agro-waste materials, tensile and flexural properties of the composites were moderately enhanced. However, corn stalk fibers showed superior mechanical properties due to their high aspect ratio and chemical characteristics. Addition of glass fibers into the composites considerably enhanced tensile, flexural, and impact properties without having significant effect on the elongation at break. Morphological study also confirmed the impact behavior of composites. Moreover, incorporation of glass fiber with agro-waste fibers in PP matrix considerably decreased the water uptake and thickness swelling of the hybrid composites.

This work investigates the feasibility of using recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE), recyc... more This work investigates the feasibility of using recycled high density polyethylene (rHDPE), recycled polypropylene (rPP) and old newsprint fiber (ONP) to manufacture fiber reinforced composites. The boards were made through air-forming and hot press. The effects of the fiber loading and coupling agent content on tensile, flexural, internal bond properties and water absorption and thickness swelling of wood-fiber plastic composites were studied. In general, the weight content of ONP is a key parameter that would substantially influence the physical and mechanical properties of the samples. The obtained results showed that the use of maleated polypropylene as coupling agent, improved the compatibility between the fiber and both plastic matrices, and mechanical properties of the resultant composites compared well with those of non-coupled ones. Based on the findings in this study, it appears that recycled materials can be used to manufacture value-added boards without having any significant adverse influence on board properties. It was also found that composites with rHDPE provided moderately superior properties, compared with rPP samples.

Journal of Applied Polymer Science, May 5, 2009

In this work, the effects of nanoclay (1-4 wt %) and coupling agent (2 and 4 wt %) loading on the... more In this work, the effects of nanoclay (1-4 wt %) and coupling agent (2 and 4 wt %) loading on the physical and mechanical properties of nanocomposites are investigated. Composites based on polypropylene (PP), bagasse flour, and nanoclay (montmorillonite type) was made by melt compounding and then compression molding. When 1-3 wt % nanoclay was added, the tensile properties increased significantly, but then decreased slightly as the nanoclay content increased to 4%. The impact strength was 6% lower by the addition of 1 wt % nanoclay, it was decreased further when the nanoclay content increased from 1 to 4%. Finally, the water absorption of PP/bagasse composites was lowered with the increase in nanoclay content. Additionally, the coupling agent, 4 wt % MAPP, improved the mechanical and physical properties of the composites more than the 2 wt % MAPP. From these results, we can conclude that addition of nanoclay enables to achieve better physical and mechanical properties in conventional composites. V

Polymer Composites, 2008

... and Aspen Fiber Alireza Ashori,1 Amir Nourbakhsh2 1Department of Chemical Industries, Iranian... more ... and Aspen Fiber Alireza Ashori,1 Amir Nourbakhsh2 1Department of Chemical Industries, Iranian Research Organization for Science and Technology (IROST), PO Box 15815-3538, Tehran, Iran ... 13. A. Karmarkar, SS Chauhan, JM Modak, and M. Chanda, Compos. ...

Polymer Engineering and Science, Sep 20, 2010

This article presents the effects of coupling agent and nanoclay (NC) on some properties of wood ... more This article presents the effects of coupling agent and nanoclay (NC) on some properties of wood flour/polypropylene composites. The composites with different NC and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) contents were fabricated by melt compounding in a twin-screw extruder and then by injection molding. The mass ratio of the wood flour to polymer was 40/60 (w/ w). Results showed that applying MAPP on the surface of the wood flour can promote filler polymer interaction, which, in turn, would improve mechanical properties of the composite as well as its water uptake and thermal stability. Composite voids and the lumens of the fibers were filled with NC, which prevented the penetration of water by the capillary action into the deeper parts of composite. Therefore, the water absorption in composites fabricated using NC was significantly reduced. Scanning electron microscopy has shown that the treatment of composites with 5 wt% MAPP, promotes better fiber-matrix interaction, resulting in a few numbers of pull-out traces. In all cases, the degradation temperatures shifted to higher values after using MAPP. The largest improvement on the thermal stability of composites was achieved when NC was added. POLYM. ENG.

Polymers & Polymer Composites, Jun 1, 2008

The effect of coupling agent and fi ber content on physical and mechanical properties of a lignoc... more The effect of coupling agent and fi ber content on physical and mechanical properties of a lignocellulosic materialthermoplastic polymer composite was examined. Using poplar fi ber as the reinforcing fi ller, polypropylene as the thermoplastic matrix polymer, and maleated polypropylene as the coupling agent, reinforced composites were prepared. In the sample preparation, three levels of fi ber loading (55, 70 and 85 wt.%) and three levels of coupling agent content (0, 2 and 4 wt.%) were used. The mechanical strengths of the composites slightly increased as the fi ber loading increased, but the physicomechanical properties were signifi cantly improved with the addition of the coupling agent.

Journal of Composite Materials, Jul 9, 2009

Polymer Composites, 2008

Wood fibers are increasingly being used as reinforcement in commercial thermoplastic composites d... more Wood fibers are increasingly being used as reinforcement in commercial thermoplastic composites due to their low cost, high specific properties and renewable nature. The ultimate goal of our research was to find a fundamental understanding of the mechanical behavior of poplar/polypropylene (PP) composites. The effect of wood fiber concentrations and mixing temperature on the mechanical properties of composites, prepared by using MAPP as the coupling agent, was investigated. In the sample preparation, four levels of fiber loading (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt%) and three compounding temperatures (180, 190, and 200oC) were used. Most major changes in composite performance occurred at fiber contents above 30%. The results clearly showed that the fiber loading of 30 and 40 wt% at 190oC was provided adequate reinforcement to increase the tensile and flexural strength of the PP powder. The modulus also increased with increasing the fiber content, because poplar fibers are believed to be more rigid than polymer. However the addition of wood fibers resulted in a decrease in elongation and impact properties of the composites. The FTIR spectroscopy showed that the copolymer was bonded to the fibers by ester linkages and hydrogen bonds at 1705–1735 cm−1. POLYM. COMPOS., 2008. © 2008 Society of Plastics Engineers

Industrial Crops and Products, Sep 1, 2008

In this study, the influence of press cycle time and resin content (RC) on some of the physical a... more In this study, the influence of press cycle time and resin content (RC) on some of the physical and mechanical properties of single-layer particleboard manufactured from the low-quality raw materials were determined. Eucalyptus (Eucalyptus camaldulensis), mesquite (Prosopis juliflora), saltcedar (Tamarix stricta) and date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) wood, which is underutilized invasive species in southern parts of Iran, were used as alternative raw materials for particleboard manufacturing. Variable factors were as resin content (9, 10 and 11%) and press time (PT) (4, 5 and 6 min). Other parameters such as type of resin (UF), hardener content (2%), type of hardener (NH 4 Cl), press-closing time (4.5 mm/s), board density (0.75 g/cm 3), press pressure (30 kg/m 2) and press temperature (160 • C) were held constant. The experimental panels were tested for their mechanical strength including modulus of elasticity (MOE), modulus of rupture (MOR), internal bonding (IB) and physical stability properties (thickness swelling) according to the procedures defined by European Union (EN) Standard. Overall results showed that most panels made from above-mentioned materials exceed the EN Standards for IB, MOE and MOR. The mechanical properties of particleboard were improved as the resin content increased from 9 to 11%. The results indicated that the polymerization of resin and wood is better at 11% resin content and 5 min of press time. However, thickness-swelling (TS) values were higher (poor) than requirements. Panels made of mesquite, saltcedar and date palm with a resin content of 11% and pressed for 5 min is adequate for general uses while eucalyptus with a resin content of 11% and pressed for 6 min is suitable for interior decoration.

Bioresource Technology, Apr 1, 2010

This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., corn stalk, reed stalk, and ... more This article presents the application of agro-waste materials (i.e., corn stalk, reed stalk, and oilseed stalk) in order to evaluate and compare their suitability as reinforcement for thermoplastics as an alternative to wood fibers. The effects of fiber loading and CaCO(3) content on the mechanical properties were also studied. Overall trend shows that with addition of agro-waste materials, tensile and flexural properties of the composites are significantly enhanced. Oilseed fibers showed superior mechanical properties due to their high aspect ratio and chemical characteristics. The order of increment in the mechanical properties of the composites is oilseed stalk >corn stalk>reed stalk at all fiber loadings. The tensile and flexural properties of the composite significantly decreased with increasing CaCO(3) content, due to the reduction of interface bond between the fiber and matrix. It can be concluded from this study that the used agro-waste materials are attractive reinforcements from the standpoint of their mechanical properties.

Waste Management, Apr 1, 2010

This investigation aims to study the potential of waste agricultural residues, such as rice husk ... more This investigation aims to study the potential of waste agricultural residues, such as rice husk and coir pith particulates, as reinforcement in epoxy matrix as an alternative to wood and plastic based components. The composites were prepared using the compression molding technique by varying the particulate weight content from 10 to 50%. The tensile test, flexural test and impact test were performed to study the mechanical properties of the prepared composites and the morphological study in fractured specimens was carried out using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The addition of rice husk and coir pith particulates to reinforce the epoxy composite has considerably increased the mechanical properties of the composites. This investigation suggested the possibility of introducing hybrid bioparticulates obtained from waste agricultural residues in polymer matrix composites.

Polymer Composites, Apr 30, 2015

This paper presents the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as reinforcing agent on s... more This paper presents the effects of multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) as reinforcing agent on some properties of natural fiber/polypropylene composites. In the sample preparation, MWCNT contents and fiber types (bagasse stalk and poplar) were used as variable parameters. The composites with different MWCNT contents were fabricated by melt compounding in a twin-screw extruder and then by injection molding. The mass ratio of the wood flour to polymer was 40/60 (w/w). The mechanical properties of composites in terms of tensile, flexural, and Izod impact strength were evaluated. The morphology of the specimens was characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. Based on the findings of this study, it appears that mechanical properties reached the maximum when 2.5 wt% MWCNT were used. However, addition of 3.5 wt% MWCNT could not enhance the mechanical properties considerably. TEM micrographs showed that at high level of MWCNT loading (3.5 wt%) increased population of MWCNT leads to agglomeration and stress transfer gets blocked. The mechanical properties of composites filled with poplar fibers were generally greater than bagasse stalk composites.

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Jun 4, 2008

Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Mar 5, 2009

In this research, fully environment-friendly, sustainable and biodegradable composites were fabri... more In this research, fully environment-friendly, sustainable and biodegradable composites were fabricated, using wheat straw and rice husk as reinforcements for thermoplastics, as an alternative to wood fibers. Mechanical properties including tensile, flexural, and impact strength properties were examined as a function of the amount of fiber and coupling agent used. In the sample preparation, three levels of fiber loading (30, 40, and 50 wt %) and two levels of coupling agent content (0 and 2 wt %) were used. As the percentage of fiber loading increased, flexural and tensile properties increased significantly. Notched Izod results showed a decrease in strength as the percentage of fiber increases. With addition of 50% fiber, the impact strengths decreased to 16.3, 14.4, and 16.4 J/m respectively, for wheat straw-, rice husk-, and poplar-filled composites. In general, presence of coupling agent had a great effect on the mechanical strength properties. Wheat straw-and rice husk-filled composites showed an increase in the tensile and flexural properties with the incorporation of the coupling agent. From these results, we can conclude that wheat straw and rice husk fibers can be potentially suitable raw materials for manufacturing biocomposite products. V

Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Feb 15, 2009

Using bagasse fiber as the reinforcing filler and polypropylene as the thermoplastic matrix polym... more Using bagasse fiber as the reinforcing filler and polypropylene as the thermoplastic matrix polymer, a reinforced composite was prepared, and its mechanical properties examined as a function of the amount of compatibilizing agents used. In the sample preparation, four levels of fiber loading (10, 20, 30, and 40 wt %), three levels of polybutadiene isocyanate (PBNCO) content (0, 2, and 4 wt %) and two levels of maleated polypropylenes (MAPP) content (0 and 3 wt %) as compatibilizing agents were used. The tensile properties of the composites improved as the fiber loading and the compatibilizing agents increased, but the impact strength was significantly decreased. The mechanical study revealed that the positive effect of compatibilizing agents on interfacial bonding. The composites treated with PBNCO showed superior tensile and impact properties than those without treatment. The findings indicated that bagasse as agro-waste material is a valuable renewable natural resource for composite production and could be utilized as a substitute for wood in composite industries. V

Composites Part B-engineering, 2014

The objective of this research was to study the potential of waste agricultural residues such as ... more The objective of this research was to study the potential of waste agricultural residues such as rice-husk fiber (RHF), bagasse fiber (BF), and waste fish (WF) as reinforcing and biodegradable agents for thermoplastic composites. Addition of maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) as coupling agent was performed to promote polymer/fiber interfacial adhesion. Several composites with various polypropylene (PP) as polymer matrix, RHF, BF, WF, and MAPP contents were fabricated by melt compounding in a twinscrew extruder and then by injection molding. The resulting composites were evaluated through mechanical properties in terms of tensile, flexural, elongation at break and Izod notched impact following ASTM procedures. Biodegradability of the composites was measured using soil burial test in order to study the rates of biodegradation of the composites. In general, the addition of RHF and BF promoted an increase in the mechanical properties, except impact strength, compared with the neat PP. According to the results, WF did not have reinforcing effect on the mechanical properties, while it could considerably improve the biodegradation of the composites. It was found that the composites with high content of WF had higher degradation rate. Except impact strength, all mechanical properties were found to enhance with increase in cellulosic fiber loading In addition, mechanical properties and biodegradability of the composites made up using RHF was superior to those of the composites fabricated with BF, due to its morphological (aspect ratio) characteristics.

Journal of Composite Materials, Jul 9, 2009

Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, Aug 29, 2008

Waste Management & Research, Jun 11, 2009

Journal of Composite Materials, Apr 1, 2009

This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative... more This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY