Structural Chemistry & Crystallography Communication

Exploring the Tensile and Physical Properties of Polypropylene Biocomposites Filled with Carbonized Coconut Shell Particles

The high cost and processing challenges associated with
inorganic fillers have triggered the quest for alternative
and less expensive filler materials from botanical resources
such as waste coconut shells. The as prepared coconut
shells were carbonized in an electrothermal oven at
200°C for 2 h and later pulverized and sieved into four
particles sizes of 63μm, 150μm, 300μm, and 425μm. Furthermore,
these carbonized fillers were used as reinforcing
fillers in polypropylene matrix at varying filler contents
of 0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt. %. Composite sheets
of PP/CCSP were prepared by melt blending of polypropylene
and the filler in an injection moulding machine.
Our investigations showed that the addition of fillers was
found to improve the yield strength, tensile strength, and
tensile modulus of polypropylene as these tensile properties
increased with increase in filler content. The elongation
at break and modulus of resilience of the prepared
composites were, however, observed to be inversely related
with the filler content. Also, the investigation revealed
that the specific gravity, flame propagation rate, water
absorption and solvent uptake by PP/CCSP composites
were found to increase with increase in the filler content.
Therefore, the incorporation of CCSP into polypropylene
increased the specific gravity, but reduced the flame
resistance, moisture resistance, and solvent resistance of
the polymer.

Author(s):

Henry Chinedu Obasi

Abstract | PDF

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