| dc.description.abstract | Recycled high density polyethylene/ natural rubber/ chicken feather fiber
(RHDPE/NR/CFF) composites had been prepared using Brabender Plasticorder at
temperature 160˚C and rotor speed of 50 rpm. The effect of CFF content and coupling
agent on tensil properties, swelling behavior, morphology, spectroscopy infrared (FTIR) analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis
(TGA) of RHDPE/NR/CFF composites were studied. The result showed that the
addition of CFF reduced the tensile strength, elongation at break and degree of
crystallinity, whereas the Young’s modulus, weight swell percentage, and the thermal
stability of composites increased. Coupling agent such as benzyl urea and ɛ-
Caprolactam were used, which resulted in positive effect on mechanical properties, and
swelling behavior of RHDPE/NR/CFF composites. The presence of benzyl urea and ɛ-
Caprolactam, have increased the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and thermal
stability but the degree of crystallinity decreased. In addition, RHDPE/NR/CFF
composites were treated using ethanol and methyl methacrylate. The ethanol treated
RHDPE/NR/CFF composites have higher tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and
thermal stability but lower elongation at break, weight swell percentage and the degree
of crystallinity compared to the methyl methacrylate treated RHDPE/NR/CFF
composites. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of tensile fracture
surfaces for the composites with chemical modification of benzyl urea, ɛ-Caprolactam,
ethanol and methyl methacrylate indicated that the interfacial interaction between CFF
and RHDPE/NR blends were better than the control RHDPE/NR/CFF composites. | en_US |
