Effect of maleated polypropylene as coupling agent for polypropylene composites reinforced with hemp strands

✍ Scribed by P. Mutjé; M. E. Vallejos; J. Gironès; F. Vilaseca; A. López; J. P. López; J. A. Méndez

• Publisher: John Wiley and Sons
• Year: 2006
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 315 KB
• Volume: 102
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0021-8995
• DOI: 10.1002/app.24315

✦ Synopsis

Abstract

New composites based on poly(propylene) as polymer matrix and hemp strands as natural reinforcement have been developed by injection‐molding. The materials were previously mixed in a two roll mill to induce the dispersion of the fiber inside the polymer. To improve the adhesion between both components, maleated poly(propylene) was added as coupling agent, at 4% wt/wt with respect to hemp strands. The addition of this amount of this coupling agent to the formulation modified with 40 wt % of hemp strands increases the ultimate tensile strength (σ~t~) and flexural strength (σ~f~) up to 49 and 38%, respectively, compared with the composite without coupling agent. The interaction between the surface of hemp strands and the coupling agent was determined by FT‐IR spectroscopy assuming that a covalent bond was established, avoiding the adverse effect of the poor compatibility at the interface for this kind of composites. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 833–840, 2006