Preparation of Rayon Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites by Extrusion Techniques
Quazi M. I. Huque1, Rafiqul Islam1, Md. Minhajul Islam1, Taslim Ur Rashid1,
Sanjida Afrin1, Md. Asaduzzaman1, A. I. Mustafa1, M. Mizanur Rahman1, and
Mubarak A. Khan2
1Department of Applied Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, University of Dhaka, Dhaka, Bangladesh
2Radiation and Polymer Chemistry Laboratory, Institute of Nuclear Science and Technology, Bangladesh Atomic Energy Commission, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Hybrid composites from rayon fibers (2–5 cm size) and polypropylene (PP) were fabricated by using an extruder. Fibre content of the composite was varied from 5–30% by weight and physicomechanical properties of the composites were measured. Surface morphology as observed by SEM showed good interface adhesion between rayon and PP matrix. Furthermore inclusion of rayon (up to 15% fiber inclusion) in the composite increased tensile, bending and hardness properties. As the fiber content in the composite increased more than 15%, physico-mechanical properties decreased due to the decrease of fiber matrix adhesion. The change of tensile properties due to environmental aging was carried out by keeping the composite under soil for 1 month and tensile properties were measured periodically. The aging result suggests that composites retained about 75% of its original tensile and bending strength even after 1 month soil burial. The modified fibers were also used for the study. As such the fibers were treated with vinyl-trimethyoxysilane and methanol solution and irradiated under UV before being used with PP in extruder. The results showed retardation of the physico-mechanical properties for composites obtained from irradiated rayon fibers than the composites fabricated from non irradiated rayon fibers.
Keywords: Biodegradibility; Enhanced tensile properties; Reinforced composites; UV irradiation.
