Chicken eggshell (ES) is an industrial by product containing 95% calcium carbonate and its disposal constitutes a serious environmental hazard. ES contains about 95% calcium carbonate in the form of calcite and 5% organic materials such as type X collagen, sulfated polysaccharides, and other proteins. Although there have been several attempts to use eggshell components for different applications, its chemical composition and availability makes eggshell a potential source of filler for PP composites. In this research work, different proportions of chicken eggshell as bio-filler for polypropylene (PP) composite were compared with different operating temperature by creep test, hardness test and SEM photomicrographs. The eggshell had been prepared by blending and sieving them into granule size of less than 160μm. The granules were then mixed with polypropylene into four weight ratios, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% respectively using fine extruder, where silane was used as the coupling agent. From the result, it was learnt that, the ES filler had improved Creep Strain and Creep Modulus for the operating temperatures of 34°C and 80°C. Tensile and flexural tests were also performed to study the pattern and behaviour of the chicken egg shell particulated polypropylene. In general, the findings can be concluded that not all ratios of particulation yielded positive as expected, but there were also conditions where virgin polypropylene yields better result depending on the test type and composite matrices.

Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is one of the most useful and versatile materials known to man. In this research, eggshell as a natural composite bioceramics was used to modify and improve the mechanical properties of an existing polyethylene which is widely used to manufacture daily goods by small medium industries in Malaysia. Chicken eggshell containing 95% Calcium Carbonate is highly potential to be used as bio-filler to improve poly-based matrix in improving their performance behavior. PE was chosen for this project to modify its virgin mechanical properties by reinforcing eggshell/calcium carbonate and later investigate its character to improve the current product’s performance. Tensile, creep and flexural tests were carried out to characterize the developed PE-CaCO3 composites. Eggshells which were prepared into hundreds of microns and furnace dried at 90oC continuously for eight hours to improve the bonding capability. They were then particulated into polyethylene matrix accordingly as per the designed weight ratios, 10%, 20%, 30% and 40%. From the result, it was learnt that the ES filler has improved mechanical properties of virgin PE as far as 5% to 9% depending on the filler weight ratio. Therefore, ES which was a burden for disposal and being environmental threat can now be used for the betterment of PE product performance.

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