Cellulose/syndiotactic polypropylene composites: Effects of maleated polypropylene as a compatibilizer and silanized cellulose on the morphology and tensile properties

Abstract

To improve the interaction between syndiotactic polypropylene (SPP) and fibrous cellulose (FC), the effects of the addition of maleated polypropylene (MAPP) and FC surface modification with 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on SPP/FC composites were studied with respect to the morphology and the tensile properties. The addition of MAPP brought about an improvement in the interfacial adhesion between SPP and FC according to scanning electron microscopy observations and tensile testing. This improvement was, however, less effective than the improvement in the interfacial adhesion between isotactic polypropylene (IPP) and FC. SPP and MAPP partially or microscopically phase-separated because of the IPP-like polymer chain structure of MAPP.With respect to the compatibility between SPP and FC, FC surface modification with APTES was more suitable. The increase in Young's modulus was remarkable in the SPP/silanized FC composite with APTES. The tensile strength of the SPP/silanized FC composite with APTES was, however, considerably lower than that of the SPP/ FC/MAPP composite. These results suggest that interfacial improvement between SPP and FC requires a compatibilizer or a surface modifier with a suitable primary structure.

Physical properties of polypropylene composites with hydrophobized cellulose powder by soybean oil

“…The impact strengths of the PP–cellulose composites are shown in Figure as a function of the soybean oil content attached to the cellulose powder. The impact strength of the composite increased monotonically with the attached soybean oil content because the interfacial adhesion strength between the PP matrix and the cellulose powder could also be increased with the attached soybean oil content . Furthermore, the alkyl chains attached to the cellulose powder could behave as a plasticizer, and this effect also increased with the attached soybean oil content.…”

Effects of crystal phase transformation on tensile properties of polybutene‐1/cellulose composites

“…This behavior is considerably different from that of other polyolefin/FC composite. 21,22 In general, PP/cellulose composite exhibits transcrystalline morphology under an isothermal or a slow cooling crystallization condition. 19,20,23,24 An adsorption configuration of a PP chain occurs by the interaction of a a-carbon/methyl moiety of PP and an oxygen in electron-rich glucosidic linkage in cellulose.…”

“…As most popular composite based on cellulose, the composite with polyolefin has been extensively investigated by many resarchers. 1,[3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13] In particular, polypropylene (PP) and polyethylene (PE) have been often used as the raw materials, and tensile properties and morphologies of their cellulose composites have been studied in detail. However, the cellulose composite with other polyolefin such as polybutene-1 (PB) has been little studied.…”

Preparation of novel polypropylene oligomer compatibilizer for polypropylene/microfibrous cellulose composite and its addition effect

“…Cellulose has been one of the filler materials that has attracted much attention as a raw material in the preparation of a composite having high-modulus and renewability [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. In particular, the composite with PP has been studied for mechanical properties and morphology [1][2][3][4][5][6][7].…”

“…In particular, the composite with PP has been studied for mechanical properties and morphology [1][2][3][4][5][6][7]. Recently, micro-and nano-sized celluloses such as MFC and cellulose whisker have been studied as the new filler material by many investigators [8][9][10][11][12][13][14].…”