Effects of Compatibilization on Mechanical Properties of Pineapple Leaf Powder Filled High Density Polyethylene

Abstract

The effects of compatibilizer (maleic anhydride-graft-polyethylene) on the mechanical properties of pineapple leaf powder (PALP) filled high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites were studied. HDPE and PALP composites in the presence, or absence of the compatibilizer, maleic anhydride -graft- polyethylene (MA-g-PE) were prepared by injection moulding technique. The filler (PALP) contents investigated were 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 wt%, while the MA-g-PE content was 3 wt% of the filler content for each formulation. The result of the mechanical tests carried out on the HDPE/PALP composites showed that the tensile strength, tensile modulus, abrasion resistance, and hardness of the composites increased as the filler content increases both in the presence, or absence of the compatibilizer (MA-g-PE) for all the filler contents investigated, while the elongation at break (EB) for PALP/HDPE composites was found to decrease as the filler content increases both in the presence, or absence of MA-g-PE for all the filler contents investigated. It was also observed that PALP/HDPE composites in the presence of MA-g-PE exhibited better mechanical properties than that of PALP/HDPE composites in the absence of MA-g-PE for all the filler contents investigated. The present study has proved that the mechanical properties of PALP/HDPE composites can be enhanced by incorporating a compatibilizer (MA-g-PE) into their formulations. This is so because the chemical composition of the compatibilizer (MA-g-PE) allows it to react with the fibre surface, thereby forming a bridge of chemical bonds between the fibre and matrix.