Enhancing sugarcane bagasse and rice husk polymer composite performance through process optimization

Abstract

Natural fillers have an excellent potential as reinforcement in polymer composites industries. The use of natural fillers in composites is an interesting issue, which has growing consideration and experimentation during the last years. The study emphasizes on the performances of hybrid sugarcane bagasse and rice husk polymer composites through the DOE (Design Of Experiment) statistical method. The samples were prepared with different process parameters, namely, filler loading, screw speed, temperature and coupling agent treatment of polymer composite. The DOE method used was full factorial design. The relationship between process parameters and tensile strength, tensile modulus, break elongation was analyzed by Pareto chart of the standardized effect and Main effect plot to predict the tensile properties. The result shows the process parameters are significantly affect the tensile properties. The effect used different filler loading together with coupling agent in polymer composite was verified by mechanical test (tensile), FTIR analysis and the morphological of fillers by SEM.