The Influence of Fiber Surface Treatment and SBR as Impact Modifier on Rheological Behavior and Mechanical Properties of Wood Plastic Composite from Acrylate-Styrene-Acrylonitrile and Bagasse

Abstract

Morphology, mechanical properties and rheological behavior of wood plastic composite, derived from acrylate-styrene-acrylonitrile (ASA) and bagasse which was treated with potassium permanganate (KMnO4) and using styrene butadiene rubber (SBR) as impact modifier, were reported. The effect of fiber surface treatment with KMnO4 and different amount of SBR on properties of wood plastic composite, prepared from ASA and 50 phr of bagasse, were investigated. Wood plastic composites (both treated and untreated) with varying amount of SBR, as impact modifier from 0-15 wt% of ASA, were prepared by melt-blending technique. The specimens were shaped with a compression molding machine and characterized, including morphology, impact strength, flexural properties and rheological behavior. It was demonstrated that the fiber surface treatment, using KMnO4, could effectively impove interfacial adhesion between bagasse and ASA matrix. These led to an improvement of morphology and mechanical properties such as impact strength, flexural strength and modulus. SEM micrographs revealed that the interfacial modification enhanced the interfacial adhesion between bagasse (fiber) and ASA (matrix) causing an increasing of shear stress and shear viscosity. Additionally, the effect of amount of SBR, as impact modifier, was also reported. The resulted showed that the impact strength was improved with increasing the amount of SBR (up 5 wt% of ASA) whereas, flexural strength and modulus were found to decrease with increasing SBR content.