Kinetic considerations on the mechanical behaviour of polypropylene + wood flour and polypropylene + sisal fibre blends

Abstract

This work is aimed at analyzing by means of simple mathematical models the effect of different integral doses of γ-irradiation on the mechanical properties and concentration of radicals of the blends of polypropylene (PP) + wood flour and PP + sisal fibre. The analysis of the results permits inferring that the kinetic behaviour of the mechanical properties and the concentration of radicals at low integral doses (≤ 10 KGy) are indicative of a complex degradation process, implying the possibility of cross-linking and chain scission reactions both in the polymer as well as in the filler. Consequently, it can be concluded that cross-linking reactions are predominant. The behaviour observed at higher irradiation doses means that both reactions (cross-linking and chain scission) occur, the breaking reactions being the prevailing ones. This study of the kinetic analysis of the tensile properties is based on the behaviour detected for the melt-flow index.

HDPE‐Coconut Flour Composites: Effect of Coupling Agents and Surface Modification

“…Other influencing parameters are specific surface and the content of added fiber. The effect of some of these parameters on thermoplastic composites with sisal, wood and pineapple fiber has been studied by a number or researchers, including Kuruvilla et al, [10] Manikandan et al, [11] Albano et al, [3,4] etc. However, there are only few studies on coconut fiber, which is a material found in large quantities in Venezuela.…”

Morphology and mechanical properties of polypropylene-wood flour composites

“…In those studies, the composites were predominantly processed by extrusion and compression molding. To obtain a composite based on non polar thermoplastics with competitive final properties, it is necessary to achieve a good interface between filler and matrix, generally realized by the modification of the filler surface (Thielemans and Wool 2005;Toriz et al 2001;Toriz et al 2004;Albano et al 2004;Tacterajvidi and Ebrahimi 2003;Oksman and Clemons 1998).…”