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Torque rheological properties of agro‐waste‐based polypropylene composites: Effect of filler content and green coupling agent
Author(s) -
Chun Koay Seong,
Husseinsyah Salmah,
Yeng Chan Ming
Publication year - 2018
Publication title -
journal of vinyl and additive technology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.295
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1548-0585
pISSN - 1083-5601
DOI - 10.1002/vnl.21561
Subject(s) - filler (materials) , composite material , materials science , polypropylene , shear thinning , rheology , viscosity , husk , botany , biology
This study investigates the effect of filler content and green coupling agent (GCA) on the torque rheological properties of polypropylene (PP)/cocoa pod husk (CPH) composites. The GCA was prepared from coconut oil and it was used to improve the properties of PP/CPH composites. The processing torque of PP/CPH composites was increased with increasing of filler content and the presence of GCA. The power law index ( n ) of PP/CPH composites were less than 1.0. Thus, the composites melt showed pseudoplastic character and it exhibited shear thinning effect. The values n of PP/CPH composites increased with higher filler content and after filler modification using GCA. This indicated that the pseudoplasticity of composites were affected by filler–matrix interaction. The viscosity of PP/CPH composites increased after increased filler content and the presence of GCA. The change of viscosity was related to filler–filler interaction and filler–matrix adhesion. The increase of filler content and addition of GCA also increased the activation energy ( E a ) of PP/CPH composites. This indicated that the energy of fusion process of PP/CPH composites increased with higher filler content and the addition of GCA. J. VINYL ADDIT. TECHNOL., 24:E30–E35, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers