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Preparation and characterization of bamboo fiber‐graft‐lauryl methacrylate and its composites with polypropylene
Author(s) -
Chen Qinhui,
Mao Xinggong,
Xue Hanyu,
Deng Yi,
Lin Jinhuo
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
journal of applied polymer science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.575
H-Index - 166
eISSN - 1097-4628
pISSN - 0021-8995
DOI - 10.1002/app.39347
Subject(s) - materials science , differential scanning calorimetry , polypropylene , methacrylate , composite material , polymer chemistry , ether , scanning electron microscope , polymer , nuclear chemistry , chemistry , monomer , organic chemistry , physics , thermodynamics
In this study, lauryl methacrylate grafted onto bamboo fibers (BF‐ g ‐LM) was prepared to improve the interfacial compatibility between hydrophilic bamboo fibers (BFs) and hydrophobic plastic. The lauryl methacrylate (LM) was initiated by benzoxyl peroxide (BPO) and grafted onto BFs via a free‐radical chain‐transfer reaction. LM was grafted onto BFs with ether bonds, and differential scanning calorimetry indicated that the ether pyrolysis of BF‐ g ‐LM occurred at 280°C. The optimum preparation conditions were obtained as follows: 0.30 g of pretreated bamboo flour was immersed in 0.225 mol/L LM. The reaction was then initiated by 0.025 mol/L BPO, and this reaction was sustained for 4 h at 80°C. BF‐ g ‐LM served as coupling agent between the BFs and the polypropylene (PP) matrix, as shown by scanning electron microscopy analysis. The elongation at break of the BF/PP composites with BF‐ g ‐LM increased to two times compared to that of the BF/PP composites without BF‐ g ‐LM. The impact strength and maximum deflection also increased to 75 and 580%, respectively. In conclusion, BF‐ g ‐LM is a promising coupling agent that can be used in BF‐reinforced thermoplastic composites. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 130: 2377–2382, 2013