Preparation and recycling of polymer eco-composites i. Comparison of the conventional molding techniques for preparation of polymer eco-composites

Srebrenkoska, Vineta and Bogoeva-Gaceva, Gordana and Dimeski, Dimko (2009) Preparation and recycling of polymer eco-composites i. Comparison of the conventional molding techniques for preparation of polymer eco-composites. Macedonian Journal of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, 28 (1). pp. 99-109. ISSN 1857–5552

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Abstract

The interest in natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites is growing rapidly due to their high performance in
terms of mechanical properties, significant processing advantages, excellent chemical resistance, low cost and low
density. In this study, the compression and injection molding of polypropylene (PP) and polylactic acid (PLA) based
composites reinforced with rice hulls or kenaf fibers was carried out and their basic properties were examined. Rice
hulls from rice processing plants and natural lignocellulosic kenaf fibers from the bast of the plant Hibiscus Cannabinus
represent renewable sources that could be utilized for composites. Maleic anhydride grafted PP (MAPP) and
maleic anhydride grafted PLA (MAPLA) were used as coupling agents (CA) to improve the compatibility and adhesion
between the fibers and the matrix. Composites containing 30 wt % reinforcement were manufactured by compression
and injection molding, and their mechanical and thermal properties were compared. It was found that the
techniques applied for manufacturing of the eco-composites under certain processing conditions did not induce significant
changes of the mechanical properties. The flexural strength of the compressed composite sample based on PP
and kenaf is 51. 3 MPa in comparison with 46.7 MPa for the same composite produced by injection molding technique.
Particularly, PP-based composites were less sensitive to processing cycles than PLA-based composites. The
experimental results suggest that the compression and injection molding are promising techniques for processing of
eco-composites. Moreover, the PP-based composites and PLA-based composites can be processed by compression
and injection molding. Both composites are suitable for applications as construction materials.

Item Type:	Article
Subjects:	Engineering and Technology > Materials engineering
Divisions:	Faculty of Technology
Depositing User:	Vineta Srebrenkoska
Date Deposited:	26 Nov 2012 07:17
Last Modified:	02 Oct 2013 13:11
URI:	https://eprints.ugd.edu.mk/id/eprint/1760

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