Salmah Husseinsyah

Mechanical and thermal properties of coconut shell powder filled polylactic acid biocomposites: effects of the filler content and silane coupling agent

The effects of the filler content and the coupling agent 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APE) on the mechanical properties, thermal properties, and morphologies of polylactic acid (PLA)/coconut shell powder (CSP) biocomposites were investigated. It was found that increasing the CSP content decreased the tensile strengths and elongations at break of the PLA/CSP biocomposites. However, incorporating CSP increased their modulus of elasticity. The tensile strengths and modulus of elasticity of the PLA/CSP biocomposites were enhanced by the presence of 3-APE, which can be attributed to a stronger filler–matrix interaction. The thermal stabilities of the biocomposites increased with the filler content, and they were enhanced by 3-APE treatment. Meanwhile, the presence of CSP increased the glass transition temperatures (Tg) and crystallinities (Xc) of the PLA/CSP biocomposites at a filler content of 30 php. After 3-APE treatment, Tg and Xc of the PLA/CSP biocomposites increased due to enhanced interfacial bonding. The presence of a peak crystallization temperature (Tc) for the PLA/CSP biocomposites indicated that the CSP has a nucleating effect. The melting temperatures (Tm) and the Tc values of the biocomposites were not significantly affected by the filler content and 3-APE. PLA/CSP biocomposites that had been treated with 3-APE presented the strongest filler–matrix interaction, as confirmed by SEM.

Modified Corn Cob Filled Chitosan Biocomposite Films

The present work was investigated the effect of filler content and chemical modification on mechanical, thermal properties and morphology study of CS/CC biocomposite films. The acrylic acid was used as chemical modification of corn cob. The increasing of CC content has decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break, but increased the modulus of elasticity of CS/CC biocomposite films. The modified corn cob with acrylic acid (AA) has enhanced the tensile properties and thermal properties of CS/CC biocomposite films by improving the interfacial interaction. The chemical reaction between acrylic acid and corn cob was confirmed by Fourier transmission infrared (FTIR) and the improvement of interfacial bonding was proven by scanning electron microscopy.

Characterization and Properties of Recycled Polypropylene/Coconut Shell Powder Composites: Effect of Sodium Dodecyl Sulfate Modification

This research work focuses on the utilization of coconut shell powder (CSP) as filler in recycled polypropylene (rPP). Sodium Dedecyl Sulfate (SDS) was used as coupling agent in these composites. The effect of filler content and SDS on tensile properties, thermal properties, water absorption and morphology of rPP/CSP composites were investigated. In this study, modified rPP/CSP composites with SDS show significant increased tensile propertied, thermal stability, crystallinity and low water absorption compared unmodified rPP/CSP composites. Those improvements were contributed by the coupling effect of SDS.

Polylactic acid/corn cob eco-composites: Effect of new organic coupling agent

A new organic coupling agent called coconut oil coupling agent (COCA) was produced from coconut oil. The effects of filler content and COCA on mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of corn cob (CC)-filled polylactic acid (PLA) eco-composites were studied. The results show that the addition of CC decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break but increased the modulus of elasticity of PLA/CC eco-composites. However, the presence of COCA improved the tensile strength, elongation at break, and modulus of elasticity of PLA/CC eco-composites. Meanwhile, the glass transition temperature (T g) of PLA/CC eco-composites was increased by increasing the CC content and COCA treatment. The peak crystallization temperature (Tc ) in PLA/CC eco-composites indicated the nucleating effect of CC and the Tc of PLA/CC eco-composites decreased at 40 php of CC content. The addition of CC increased the melting temperature (Tm ) of PLA/CC eco-composites but reduced the crystallinity of PLA/CC eco-composites. The COCA treatment enhanced the mechanical properties and the crystallization process of PLA/CC eco-composites. The Tc and Tm of PLA/CC eco-composites were not significantly affected by COCA treatment. The presence of COCA improved the adhesion and interaction between CC and PLA matrix.

Utilization of cocoa pod husk as filler in polypropylene biocomposites: Effect of maleated polypropylene

The aim of the research was to utilize cocoa pod husk (CPH) in polypropylene (PP) biocomposites. Maleated polypropylene (MAPP) was used as coupling agent to improve the properties of PP/CPH biocomposites. The addition of MAPP had increased the stabilization torque of PP/CPH biocomposites. The tensile strength and modulus of PP/CPH with MAPP were higher compared to PP/CPH biocomposites without MAPP, except the elongation at break decreased. The crystallinity and thermal stability of PP/CPH biocomposites with MAPP increased. These improvements were due to the enhanced interfacial bonding between CPH and PP matrix, which were proved by SEM analysis.

Effect of Maleic Anhydride-Grafted-polyethylene (MAPE) and Silane on Properties of Recycled Polyethylene/Chitosan Biocomposites

Chitosan-filled recycled polyethylene biocomposites were prepared using an internal mixer. The effect of maleic anhydride-grafted-polyethylene (MAPE) and silane of recycled polyethylene (RPE)/chitosan biocomposites on tensile properties, water absorption, morphology and thermal properties of recycled polyethylene (RPE)/chitosan biocomposites were studied. The results of biocomposites with MAPE and silane improved the tensile strength and Youngs modulus but reduced the elongation at break and water absorption. The presence of MAPE and silane show the evidence of better adhesion between filler and matrix through scanning electron microscopy (SEM) study of the tensile fracture surface of biocomposites. The incorporation of MAPE and silane also increased the crystallinity of RPE/chitosan biocomposites.

Effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate on mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene/chitosan composites

The effect of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on mechanical and thermal properties of chitosan-filled polypropylene (PP) composites was investigated. Mechanical and thermal properties of PP/chitosan composites were analyzed according to ASTM D 638-91, thermogravimetry analysis and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. Results showed that the treated PP/chitosan composites had higher tensile strength and Young’s modulus when compared with untreated PP/chitosan composites, but lower in elongation at break in the same filler loading. Thermal analysis results showed that the thermal stability and degree of crystallinity of treated PP/chitosan composites were higher than untreated ones. Scanning electron microscopy and Fourier transform infrared studies revealed less detachment of filler from matrix on the tensile surface of treated PP/chitosan composites as an evidence of enhanced interfacial adhesion between filler and matrix due to the formation of covalent bonding between chitosan and SDS.

A comparative study of different crosslinking agent-modified chitosan/corn cob biocomposite films

The effect of corn cob (CC) content and crosslinking agent on tensile, morphological, thermal properties, gel fraction and enzymatic degradation of chitosan (CS)/corn cob (CC) biocomposite films was studied. Epichlorohydrin (EP) and adipic acid (ADP) as crosslinking agents were added to improve the properties of CS/CC biocomposite films. The addition of CC decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break, but increased the modulus of elasticity of CS/CC biocomposite films. The EP-modified CS/CC exhibited higher tensile and thermal properties than ADP-modified CS/CC. The formation of crosslinkages between CS and EP or CS and ADP was proven by Fourier transform infrared studies. The modified CS/CC biocomposite films with ADP and EP, respectively, showed better interface interaction, as demonstrated in scanning microscopy electron. Furthermore, the incorporation of CC in CS increased the weight loss of enzymatic degradation of biocomposite films. Moreover, EP-modified CS/CC shows better resistance to hydrolysis in α-amylase enzymatic degradation than ADP-modified CS/CC. The gel fraction of CS/CC biocomposite films increases with the increasing CC content, whereas the gel fraction of modified CS/CC with EP is higher compared to modified CS/CC with ADP. The novelty of our research showed that the modified biocomposite films with EP have the highest tensile and thermal properties, also gel content than others biocomposite films. The biocomposite films modified with ADP confer plasticization effect compared to unmodified and other modified biocomposite films.

Green composites from kapok husk and recycled polypropylene: Processing torque, tensile, thermal, and morphological properties

The present work was developed to utilize kapok husk (KH) as filler in recycled polypropylene (rPP) green composites. Stearic acid (SA) was used as surface modifier in rPP/KH composites. It was found that the modified KH with SA was reduced the stabilization torque of composites. The addition of KH in rPP decreased the tensile strength and elongation at break but increased tensile modulus of composites. The modified KH with SA improved the tensile strength, tensile modulus, crystallinity, and thermal stability of composites. The scanning electron microscopic micrograph provd that the interfacial interaction and adhesion was improved by SA modification.

Agrowaste-based composites from cocoa pod husk and polypropylene: Effect of filler content and chemical treatment

Cocoa pod husk (CPH)-filled polypropylene (PP) composites were prepared via melt compounding. The effect of filler content and chemical treatment using 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxysilane (MPS) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) on properties of composites were investigated. The results indicated that the treated composites with MPS and SDS improved the tensile strength, tensile modulus, thermal stability, stabilization torque, water resistivity, and crystallinity of composites. The treated composites with SDS show better tensile properties and water resistivity than composites treated with MPS. Scanning electron microscopic results show that the interfacial bonding between CPH and PP matrix improved with the presence of MPS or SDS.