Evaluation of Mechanical and Morphological Behavior of Polypropylene/Wood Fiber Nanocomposite Prepared by Melts Compounding (original) (raw)
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Effect of Nanoclay on the Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Wood Polymer Nanocomposite
Journal of Reinforced Plastics and Composites, 2009
Polypropylene/wood flour composites with different nanoclay and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) contents were fabricated by melt compounding and then by injection molding. The mechanical properties, such as flexural modulus, tensile modulus, elongation at break, and impact strength, were evaluated. Results indicated that the flexural modulus, tensile modulus, and elongation at break increases with increase of nanoclay up to 3 phc at the same concentration of PP-g-MA, and then decreases. However, the impact strength of the composites decreases with increased nanoclay loading. Also, the effect of compatibilzer was positive in terms of enhancing the mechanical properties of the composites. The morphology of the nanocomposites has been examined by using X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Morphological findings revealed that intercalation form, the sample with 3 phc concentration of clay, which implies the formation of the intercalation morphology an...
Drewno. Prace Naukowe. Doniesienia. Komunikaty, 2016
This research was conducted to examine the effect of SiO 2 and TiO 2 nanoparticles on the mechanical and morphological properties of wood flour-polypropylene nanocomposites. For this purpose, 60 (wt.%) wood flour was mixed with polypropylene. 4% maleic anhydride polypropylene was also used in all the compounds as a coupling agent. In addition, SiO 2 and TiO 2 nanoparticles were used as mineral fillers at 0, 1, 3 and 5%. The mixing process was performed inside an extruder and the test specimens were prepared by injection molding method. Bending and tensile tests were then performed on the specimens according to the ASTM standard. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was also used to show the distribution of nanoparticles over the composite substrate. The results showed that the composites containing nano-SiO 2 had more favorable mechanical properties compared to those containing nano-TiO 2. On the other hand, increasing the nanoparticles from 0 to 3% led to an increase in mechanical strength, however, the addition of more nano-fillers resulted in a significant decrease in mechanical strength. The results of SEM also showed a proper dispersion of nanoparticles at 1 and 3% levels, but using 5% nanoparticles caused the particles to aggregate on the composite substrate.
Physical properties of polyethylene-wood fiber-clay nanocomposites
Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 2010
In this study, nanocomposites based on polyethylene (PE), maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MAPE), recycled newsprint fibers, and organically modified montmorillonite (nanoclay) were made by injection molding. The effects of two variable factors, namely, the nanoclay and MAPE contents, on the composite physical properties were examined. All blends were made with a fiber-to-PE weight ratio of 30 : 70. The results show that the addition of MAPE and nanoclay in the nanocomposite formulation significantly improved both the stability and water absorption properties. The improving effect of MAPE could be explained by the improvement in the quality of adhesion between the polymer and fibers. Nanocomposites containing 5 wt % MAPE and nanoclay exhibited minimum water absorption during the whole duration of immersion. The results of this research study show that wood-plastic composites treated with a coupling agent and nanoclay will be desirable as building materials for outdoor applications.
Mechanical Properties of Nanofilled Polypropylene Composites
INCAS BULLETIN, 2015
The paper presents a study concerning mechanical performance of thermoplastic nanocomposites based on isotactic polypropylene matrix, nanofilled with montmorillonite modified with quaternary ammonium salt and carboxyl functionalized carbon nanotubes, respectively, added in the same concentration relative to the matrix. The nanofilled and single polymer materials were obtained by simple melt compounding through extrusion process followed by injection molding into specific shape specimens for mechanical testing of the samples. Mechanical properties were evaluated by tensile and 3 point bending tests. In terms of modulus of elasticity, the results showed overall positive effects concerning the effect of nanofiller addition to the thermoplastic polymer. The fracture cross section of the tested specimens was characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and SEM microscopy.
Polymer Engineering & Science, 2011
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. SCI., 51:272-277, 2011. ª
Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene-Wood-Carbon Fiber Hybrid Composites
BioResources, 2015
Effects of the addition of short carbon fibers (CFs) on the mechanical, physical, and morphological properties of polypropylene (PP) and woodpolypropylene composites (WPCs) were investigated. Hybrid composites (mix of wood and CFs) were manufactured in a two-stage process, pellet extrusion and samples mold injection with varying amounts of poplar wood fiber (0%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) and CFs (0%, 3%, 6%, and 9%), with and without maleic anhydride grafted PP (MAPP) as a coupling agent. The composites were prepared with extrusion blending followed by injection molding. The samples where then tested for mechanical and physical properties, and fractured surfaces where observed with scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the addition of CFs to WPCs improved the tensile and flexural strength and the modulus of elasticity but had only a small influence on elongation at break and impact strength. The density of hybrid composites slightly increased with CFs proportion but their water absorption was not affected. Scanning electron micrographs of the tensile fractured specimens showed improved adhesion of CFs and poplar with the PP matrix in the presence of a coupling agent.
Characterization, Physical and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene/Wood-Flour Composites
Wood polymer composites (WPCs) were made with pine and polypropylene matrix (PP). Samples of WPCs were processed through melt compounding and hot-press moulding with different formulations of wood flour content and addition of coupling agent. This study focuses on the improvement of the mechanical properties ofWPCs through the addition of compatibilizers. Generally fiber/matrix bonding or a strong interaction is required to ensure an appropriate transfer of stresses and satisfactorily physical properties. The effect of wood content and coupling agent like Maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) on the thermal behavior wasmonitored by DSC, water uptake and thickness of swelling during 2 months. The results exhibited increase of these two physical properties with wood flour content and coupling agent. In the thermal behavior, wood plays the role of nucleating agent. During the cooling step, the crystallization begins earlier than in pure PP and the percent of crystallization increase with wood amount. The effects of the reinforcements on the mechanical properties of the composites as well as the effect of compatibilization on the composite properties were highlighted. The mechanical study revealed the positive effect of coupling agent MAPP on interfacial bonding permitting better stress transfer from matrix to fiber. Keywords Wood polymer composite (WPC) · Thermal properties · Crystallization, nucleation
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