Composite materials of radiation‐treated coconut fiber and thermoplastics

Abstract

AbstractFollowing our previous work using fibrous biomass byproducts for radiation‐treated composite materials, polypropylene and two different kinds of PVC have been compounded with chopped coconut fiber (coir). Preirradiation of coir has been applied together with some crosslinking additive to achieve chemical bond between thermoplastics and fibrous biopolymer. Effect of addition of 10–50% coir to PVC and PP on the processability was monitored by Brabender plastograph. Dynamical mechanical analysis (DMA) data as well as tensile and impact strength of these coir composites have not been found superior to that of the starting thermoplastics. Considering, however, coconut fiber as a cheap filler, composites with acceptable tensile and impact strength could be produced with coir content as high as 30%.