Thermal properties of biocomposites based on sea mango fibers

Abstract

The effect of sea mango (SM) filler loading and the effect of amount used of polypropylene-graft-maleic anhydride (PP-g-MA) added as a compatibilizer on thermal properties and flow behavior of biocomposites were studied. The compounding of polypropylene/sea mango biocomposites was carried out using different in weight percentage of sea mango filler based on composite and different weight percentage of PPg- MA based on weight of polypropylene (PP). Polypropylene/sea mango filler biocomposites were compounded using a heated two roll mills at 165 °C and rolls rotating speed of 10 rpm for 15 minutes. Then mixed samples were then compressed by using a hydraulic hot press to form sheet samples of biocomposites at 1 mm of the thickness. The result shows the effect of increment in filler loading were slightly increased in degradation temperature, and slightly decreased in thermal stability, melting temperature, crystalline temperature and percentage of crystallinity, and reduction melt flow index. It was also found that the addition of PP-g-MA offer better processability and flow properties in polypropylene/sea mango filler with PP-g-MA biocomposites than polypropylene/sea mango biocomposites without PP-g-MA.