Influence of filler loading and palm oil‐based green coupling agent on torque rheological properties of polypropylene/cocoa pod husk composites

Abstract

This research examined the torque rheological properties of cocoa pod husk (CPH)filled polypropylene (PP) composites. Composites with varying filler loading ranging from 10 to 40 phr and formulation with or without palm oil-based green coupling agent (GCA-P) were analyzed using a Brabender Plastrograph torque rheometer. The GCA-P synthesized from fatty acid of palm oil was used to enhance adhesion at the filler-matrix surface interfaces. The results reveal that PP/CPH composites containing 40 phr filler loading and GCA-P exhibited higher processing torque and power law index (n). Higher melt viscosity was recorded at higher filler loading, owning to filler agglomeration and more effective filler-matrix adhesion in the presence of GCA-P. As a result, higher energy was required to compound PP/CPH composites, which could be attributed to the increase in activation energy (E a ) at higher melt viscosity. K E Y W O R D Scocoa pod husk, composites, green coupling agent, palm oil, polypropylene, torque rheology

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