Effect of nanocellulose treatment on Polypropylene (PP) / Recycled Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBRr) / Banana Skin Powder (BSP) composites

Abstract

Matrix polymer composite of polypropylene (PP ) / recycled acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBRr) / banana skin powder (BSP) was investigated. In this study, the effect of BSP content and nanocellulose treatment of filler composite analyzed through tensile properties. Differences BSP content has been made of seven series are 70/30/0, 70/30/5, 70/30/10, 70/30/15, 70/30/20, 70/30/25, and 70/30/30 to be proved in this study. Sample particles for BSP and NBRr used in this study is 250 μm. Sample BSP distributed into two parts namely for treated and untreated. The samples mixed use internal mixer Rheomix Polydrive R600/6100 Haaker at 180 ℃ and speed 50 rpm for 9 minutes. The sample were later molded using hot press compressing at temperature 180℃ and 1mm thick moulded samples cut into dumbbell shape using a Wallace die cutter for all test samples. The tensile properties increase the tensile modulus, but decreases the tensile strength and elongation at break of the biocomposites. Trend of tensile strength and elongation at break were decrease with an addition of BSP filler, but tensile modulus was increasing. The nanocellulose treatment increased the bydrophobic characteristic of BSP and improve adhesion with PP/NBRr matrix. Treated composite exhibited higher tensile strength and tensile modulus but lower elongation at break when compared with untreated PP/NBRr/BSP composites. That means due to the strong bonding between nanocellulose treatments treated BSP filler and PP/NBRr matrices. The cross-sectional area of fiber was measured using scanning electron microscope (SEM) image analysis. SEM was also used to investigate the physical characteristics of the fibers to relate the behavior mechanism of the fibers.