Effect Of Fiber Loading And Silane Treatment On Properties Of Poly (Butylene Adipate -Co- terephthalate)/ Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Biocomposites
In this study, green composites of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber (100-200 μm ) with poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) using vinyl tris (2-methoxyethoxy)silane as crosslinking agent were prepared by melt blending technique. The effect of fiber loading and addition of vinyl...
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| Main Author: | |
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English English |
| Published: |
2010
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://psasir.upm.edu.my/id/eprint/12427/1/FS_2010_9A.pdf |
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| Summary: | In this study, green composites of oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber
(100-200 μm ) with poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) using vinyl
tris (2-methoxyethoxy)silane as crosslinking agent were prepared by melt
blending technique. The effect of fiber loading and addition of vinyl tris (2-
methoxyethoxy)silane on the mechanical and thermal properties of
PBAT/OPEFB biocomposites were investigated. The composites were
prepared by using 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 % by weight of fiber. Different fiber
loadings were tested to determine the optimum amount of OPEFB required
producing good composite. Consequently, the composite with 40% fiber
loading, blending temperature and time of 120 ºC and 12 minutes, respectively
and rotation speed of 30 rpm were found as the best formulation and condition
for preparation of the composite.Mechanical properties of the composite were assessed by tensile, flexural and
impact strength (notched and unnotched). In addition, water absorption and
degradation study were also carried out. The composites showed the increase
in tensile strength and modulus, flexural strength and modulus, unnotched and
notched impact strength with the increment of fiber loading.
The presence of silane led to increase in tensile properties, flexural strength,
unnotched and notched impact strength but reduction in flexural modulus. The
composite with 4% silane loading showed the best mechanical and physical
properties.
FTIR spectra of the composites indicated that there were interaction between
the components of the composites and new bonds formed after addition of
additive. Thermal stability of the composites decreases with increasing of fiber
content. The presence of silane on the composites did not show any
significant improvement in thermal stability as shown by Thermogravimetric
Analysis. The SEM micrographs of the fractured surfaces gave clear indication
of the effect of silane in reduction of void size and close interaction of PBAT
and OPEFB fiber was clearly demonstrated for composite with additive which
resulted in improvement of mechanical properties of composite. Dynamic
mechanical analysis results showed that storage modulus and loss modulus of
composites increased with increasing fiber loading. Furthermore, Tg of PBAT
positively shifted after the addition of fiber, indicated there is interaction between PBAT and OPEFB. The crosslinked composite presented higher Tg
than non crosslinked composite. With the increased of fiber loading, the water
absorption was also increased, and the addition of additive led to less water
absorption. The biodegradability of composites was evaluated by the soil
burial test for three months. The results showed that the composites were
degraded faster than pure matrix due to cellulosic materials is easily attacked
by microorganisms. It was also observed that addition of silane as well as the
fiber loading tends to promote the degradation rate of PBAT. However the rate
of biodegradation of PBAT was slower than expected. |
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