MECHANICAL, THERMAL AND WEAR PROPERTIES OF BAGASSE FIBER/CALCIUM CARBONATE HYBRID REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITES

Abstract

This research was carried out to determine the mechanical, thermal and wear properties of bagasse fiber/calcium carbonate hybrid reinforced polypropylene composites. The bagasse fiber/calcium carbonate were obtained, processed and utilized as reinforcing materials. The samples were developed using compression molding technique in predetermined proportion of 3, 6, 9, 12 and 15 wt% in polypropylene matrix. The mechanical (tensile and flexural), thermal, wear and physical property tests as well as the scanning electron microscopic analysis were carried out on the developed composites. From the results, the mechanical properties of the hybrid composite were more enhanced compared to the single reinforced samples and the control sample. The treated hybrid samples gave the optimum performance with 12 and 15 wt% having the best tensile and flexural properties, respectively. The wear test showed that the control sample exhibit the highest wear loss with value of 0.0245g while 9 wt% of treated hybrid composite possess the best wear resistance with a value of 0.0172g. The impact test also revealed that the control sample gave the least impact energy prior to fracture with a value of 8.10 J while 9 and 12 wt% of treated hybrid samples with values; 14.56 and 15.34 J, respectively gave the optimum impact strength. The Thermogravimetric analysis/Derivative Thermo-gravimetric analysis revealed that the treated hybrid samples were more thermally stable in comparison with the untreated sample. X-ray Diffraction analysis also proved that the treated hybrid peaks were more intense than the untreated sample due to the reduction on its hydrophilic constituents, thereby improving the crystallinity of the composite. The scanning electron microscope images revealed good inter facial adhesion in the morphology of the treated hybrid composite compared to the untreated hybrid sample which contributed to the outstanding results obtained for the treated fiber reinforced composites.