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The seashell is mainly composed of calcium carbonate and organic materials which, when decompose, produce harmful gases with significant odor and toxicity. Therefore, their wastes are considered to be a problem and could be hazardous to human. To overcome this problem, this study proposed to use grinded seashell wastes (SS) as a bio‐filler to reinforce acrylonitrile–butadiene–styrene copolymer (ABS). Commercial calcium carbonate, CaCO3 (CC) was also used to compare the results. The filler and their composites were characterized by X‐ray Fluorescence (XRF), X‐ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA), and Cone Calorimeter. DMA data show that the addition of low amounts of seashell bio‐filler to ABS increases the storage modulus (E′). The glass transition temperature (Tg) values are shifted to higher temperature. On the other hand, the ABS/SS composite shows a higher tensile strength than CC filled ABS. TGA results exhibit that there is an enhancement in the thermal stability when calcium carbonate from seashell is added. Good flame retardant properties were achieved with increasing the bio‐filler content. According to XRD and FT‐IR results of the char residues after cone calorimetric tests, the compact char layer acts as a barrier to oxygen and heat transfer, preventing the escape of polymer fragments to the gas phase, and decreasing the heat release rate during combustion. POLYM. COMPOS., 38:2788–2797, 2017. © 2015 Society of Plastics Engineers

The need of using biodegradable fillers as polymer reinforcements instead of the polluting and hazard fillers has recently become a very important issue. Therefore, the aim of this study was the utilization of date stones (DS) as reinforcing and flame retardant biofiller in polyamide‐6 (PA6) with and without maleic anhydride‐grafted polypropylene (PP‐g‐MAH) compatibilizer. The composition of DS powder was revealed by X‐ray fluorescence (XRF) and chemical methods. Scanning electron microscopy images of biocomposites showed better compatibility of filler/polymer interface at 20 wt% DS and 5 wt% of the compatibilizer. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) results confirmed our suggested reaction mechanism. The dynamic data showed satisfied enhancement in the storage modulus (E′) for maleated PA6 at 20 wt% DS filler. The tensile and impact strengths of the biocomposites enhanced for maleated PA6. The presence of the biofiller had no distinct effect on the thermal stability of the biocomposite. The flame retardant properties significantly improved with increasing DS filler content. The X‐ray diffraction and FTIR data revealed that the char layer acted as an insulating barrier to oxygen and heat transfer between the gas phase and the condensed phase thus reduced the heat release rate during the burning. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:1978–1987, 2018. © 2016 Society of Plastics Engineers