Effect of wood filler treatment and EBAGMA compatibilizer on morphology and mechanical properties of low density polyethylene/olive husk flour composites

Abstract

Abstract. This paper deals with plastic-wood composites based on low density polyethylene (LDPE) and olive husk flour (OHF). The problem of incompatibility between the hydrophilic wood filler and the LDPE hydrophobic matrix was treated by two methods: a chemical modification of the olive husk flour with maleic anhydride to esterify the free hydroxyl groups of the wood components and the use of a compatibilizer agent, i. e. an ethylene-butyl acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate (EBAGMA) terpolymer. The changes in the structure, the morphology, and the properties resulting from these treatments were followed by various techniques, especially FTIR spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), tensile measurements and water absorption. The experimental results indicated that both methods, i.e. the chemical treatment of the olive husk flour with maleic anhydride and the inclusion of EBAGMA terpolymer, improved the interactions between the two composite components and promoted better dispersion of the filler in the matrix. Moreover, ultimate tensile properties were also increased. However, the use of EBAGMA terpolymer as compatibilizer produced better enhancement of the properties of LDPE/OHF composites compared to those treated with maleic anhydride.

Effect of surface treatment on the physicomechanical and thermal properties of high‐density polyethylene/olive husk flour composites

“…According to the literature, these structural changes in the OHF after treatment suggest that the substitution reaction between hydroxyl groups of the OHF and silanols groups of VTAS may have occurred. This is in line with the results reported by Kaci et al 16 and Bengtsson and Oksman. 17 The silanization of OHF reveals an intense band around 570 cm À1 and 600 cm À1 and were assigned to the stretching of the SiAOAcellulose and ASiAOASiA bonds, respectively.…”

Biocomposites Based on Rice Husk Flour and Recycled Polymer Blend: Effects of Interfacial Modification and High Fibre Loading

“…The absorption represented by weak bands at 1727 cm -1 appeared in the spectrum of the raw RHF because of the carbonyl stretching vibrations of the aldehyde, ester, acetyl, and carboxyl groups in the hemicelluloses, lignin, and extractives such as natural fats and wax (Kaci et al 2007). Another carbonyl vibration was found at 1550 cm -1 , which could be attributed to the stretching vibration of carboxylic groups or the interaction of cell windows.…”

Non-isothermal degradation kinetics of filled with rise husk ash polypropene composites

“…Each filler adds its own characteristics to the matrix and, as a consequence, changes the properties of the composite. In the recent years, natural fibers and flours have been widely used as reinforcing fillers in thermoplastic polymer composite materials [12,13]. These composites have several advantages, such as low cost, renewability, biodegradability and absence of associated health hazards.…”

“…Because they are not easily biologically degradable and because of their weight-to-volume ratios which creates problems of disposal, the plastics are not appropriate candidates for landfilling [8,9,12,17]. Nowadays, incineration is the more widely used way to eliminate solid residues and it is also used for generation of electric and calorific energy at the same time.…”

“…A recently reported alternative is to transform the polymer waste into hydrocarbons in order to produce low molecular mass chemicals, clean hydrocarbon, chemical resources, fuels, gasoline, or other valuable products such as lubricants by thermal or catalytic degradation. The thermal degradation (pyrolysis) of the polymer macromolecules in the absence of oxygen or under vacuum at elevated temperatures gives a mixture of hydrocarbons [5,6,8,12,18,21]. According to the data from the gas chromatography/mass spectrometry analyses (GC/ MS), the thermal degradation of polypropene in nitrogen medium gives dienes, alkanes, and alkenes up to C 31 hydrocarbons [17].…”