Abstract
WPCs are being used in a large number of applications in the automotive, construction, electronic, and aerospace industries. There are an increasing number of research studies and developments in WPC technology involving rice husk as fillers. This study investigated the effects of different compositions of rice husk (RH) filler on the mechanical and morphological properties of recycled HDPE (rHDPE) composite. The composites were prepared with five different loading contents of RH fibers (0, 10, 20, 30, and 40 wt%) using the twin screw extrusion method. Maleic acid polyethylene (MAPE) was added as a coupling agent. Results showed that tensile and flexural properties improved with increasing RH loading. However, the impact strength of the composites decreased as the RH loading increased. SEM micrographs revealed good interfacial bonding between the fiber and polymer matrix.
Highlights
IntroductionIn the early 1990s, Wood-plastic composites (WPCs) were popularized in North America and had spread to Singapore, India, Malaysia, Japan, and China by the start of 21st century [1]
Wood-plastic composites (WPCs) were born as a modern concept in Italy in the 1970s
The scanning electron microscope (SEM) image showed that there were no clear gaps between rice husk (RH) fibers and recycled high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix, indicating good interface bonding
Summary
In the early 1990s, WPCs were popularized in North America and had spread to Singapore, India, Malaysia, Japan, and China by the start of 21st century [1]. WPCs are being used in a large number of applications in automotive, construction, electronic, and aerospace industries. The major application of green WPCs in the market is to replace fiberglass and steels. There are an increasing number of research studies and developments in the WPC technology recently. Over the last few years, there are many researches on the natural fibers as loading constituents in composite materials. Rice husk (RH) is one of the waste materials in the rice growing regions such as Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, India, Korea, and other Asia countries [3]. Rice husk contains 35% cellulose, 25% hemicellulose, 20% lignin, and 17% ash (94% silica) by weight depending on the geographic location [4]
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