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Influence of interfacial adhesion on the structural and mechanical behavior of PP‐banana/glass hybrid composites
Author(s) -
Nayak Sanjay K.,
Mohanty Smita,
Samal Sushanta K.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
polymer composites
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.577
H-Index - 82
eISSN - 1548-0569
pISSN - 0272-8397
DOI - 10.1002/pc.20914
Subject(s) - materials science , composite material , ultimate tensile strength , differential scanning calorimetry , thermogravimetric analysis , thermal stability , polypropylene , dynamic mechanical analysis , flexural strength , glass fiber , fiber , compression molding , maleic anhydride , scanning electron microscope , flexural modulus , composite number , polymer , chemical engineering , mold , physics , engineering , copolymer , thermodynamics
Hybrid composites of polypropylene (PP), reinforced with short banana and glass fibers were fabricated using Haake torque rheocord followed by compression molding with and without the presence maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) as a coupling agent. Incorporation of both fibers into PP matrix resulted in increase of tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength upto 30 wt% with an optimum strength observed at 2 wt% MAPP treated 15 wt% banana and 15 wt% glass fiber. The rate of water absorption for the hybrid composites was decreased due to the presence of glass fiber and coupling agent. The effect of fiber loading in presence of coupling agent on the dynamic mechanical properties has been analyzed to investigate the interfacial properties. An increase in storage modulus ( E ′) of the treated‐composite indicates higher stiffness. The loss tangent (tan δ ) spectra confirms a strong influence of fiber loading and coupling agent concentration on the α and β relaxation process of PP. The nature of fiber matrix adhesion was examined through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) of the tensile fractured specimen. Thermal measurements were carried out through differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and the thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), indicated an increase in the crystallization temperature and thermal stability of PP with the incorporation of MAPP‐treated banana and glass fiber. POLYM. COMPOS., 31:1247–1257, 2010. © 2009 Society of Plastics Engineers