Comparative Study of the Use of Rice Husk Ashes and Graphite as Fillers in Polypropylene Matrix Composites

Abstract

In recent years, carbonaceous materials have been widely studied for polymer composite applications due to its capability to improve the engineering properties of the polymeric matrix. Among various carbonaceous fillers, carbon nanotube, graphene, and graphite promise to be a suitable reinforcement of polymers. Rice husk ash (RHA), a large residue rich in carbon and silica produced by the burning of rice husk offers also an immense potential as a carbonaceous filler for polymer composites on account of its low cost, low density, high strength and elastic modulus, no health risks, and renewability. This work aims at studying the effects of RHA and graphite as fillers in polypropylene (PP) matrix composites. The composites PP/RHA and PP/graphite were produced by melting extrusion process. The materials obtained were subjected to mechanical tests, XRD, TG, and FEG-SEM analyses. Comparison studies between neat PP properties and its composites were carried out.