Abstract
In recent years, there has been considerable interest in the use of natural fibers as potential reinforcing fillers in polymer composites despite their hydrophilicity, which limits their widespread commercial application. The present study explored the fabrication of nanocomposites by melt mixing, using an internal mixer followed by a compression molding technique, and incorporating rice husk (RH) as a renewable natural filler, montmorillonite (MMT) nanoclay as water-resistant reinforcing nanoparticles, and polypropylene-grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) as a compatibilizing agent. To correlate the effect of MMT delamination and MMT/RH dispersion in the composites, the mechanical and thermal properties of the composites were studied. XRD analysis revealed delamination of MMT platelets due to an increase in their interlayer spacing, and SEM micrographs indicated improved dispersion of the filler(s) from the use of compatibilizers. The mechanical properties were improved by the incorporation of MMT into the PP/RH system and the reinforcing effect was remarkable as a result of the use of compatibilizing agent. Prolonged water exposure of the prepared samples decreased their tensile and flexural properties. Interestingly, the maximum decrease was observed for PP/RH composites and the minimum was for MMT-reinforced and PP-g-MAH-compatibilized PP/RH composites. DSC results revealed an increase in crystallinity with the addition of filler(s), while the melting and crystallization temperatures remained unaltered. TGA revealed that MMT addition and its delamination in the composite systems improved the thermal stability of the developed nanocomposites. Overall, we conclude that MMT nanoclay is an effective water-resistant reinforcing nanoparticle that enhances the durability, mechanical properties, and thermal stability of composites.
Highlights
The ever-growing demand for food, energy, and building services; increasing comfort levels; and strong dependence on fossil fuels and their derivatives are badly affecting our ecosystem.Ozone layer depletion, climate change, and the deleterious effects of fossil-fuel-based plastics on marine life and their inherent nonbiodegradability are examples of the far-reaching consequences that fossil fuels have on our ecosystem [1,2,3,4]
All the MMT/PP/rice husk (RH) nanocomposites had higher interlayer spacing than neat MMT, and the noticeable improvement in the delamination of MMT platelets with the addition of a PP-g-MAH compatibilizer will lead to the development of nanocomposites with enhanced mechanical properties
The tensile and flexural modulus of PP/RH composites increased by 5% and 4%, respectively, with the addition of PP-g-MAH and 36% and 25%, respectively, when using MMT in the presence of the compatibilizer
Summary
The ever-growing demand for food, energy, and building services; increasing comfort levels; and strong dependence on fossil fuels and their derivatives are badly affecting our ecosystem. Natural fibers possess remarkable mechanical properties and are renewable, ecofriendly, and greatly susceptible to microorganisms [12,13] Thermoplastic polymers and their fiber-reinforced composites are of great interest, as they have a diverse range of indoor and outdoor applications [14,15,16] and can be used as load bearing, structural, and decorative materials. The potential benefits of incorporating natural fiber reinforcements in composites depend mainly on their structural and mechanical properties, which are influenced by their application environment. Despite the many advantages of using natural fibers as reinforcements and fillers, their dimensional instability, due to their hydrophilic character and susceptibility to rotting, restrict their use in outdoor and structural applications. Desirable, advanced outdoor applications of natural-fiber-reinforced composite and nanocomposite materials, can be achieved by reducing their water uptake and improving moisture resistance. The effect of water uptake on the mechanical properties of the composites was investigated
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