Preparation and characterization of PP/ wood flour/ graphene hybrid nanocomposites

Aram Osmannejad, Faramarz Ashenai Ghasemi^*, Ismail Ghasemi

Tabriz Journal of Mechanical Engineering, Volume 47, Issue 4, 2018(1), Pages 191-199. (ISC)

Abstract

The aim of this research was to evaluate physical, mechanical and morphological properties and also thermal behavior of nanocomposites made from wood flour (WF), polypropylene (PP) and graphene. Here, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was added as a coupling agent to increase the interaction between the components. The nanocomposites with different graphene concentrations (0, 0.5 1, 1.5,2 wt. %) were mixed by melt compounding in an internal mixer and then the composites manufactured by compression molding method. Water absorption, thickness swelling, morphological, tensile properties and crystallinity behavior of the prepared nanocomposites were evaluated. The results showed that the tensile strength and modulus of the nanocomposites was increased by 33.4% and 7.9%   respectively with increasing of graphene contents to 1 wt.% compared to the control sample (without graphene). Addition of graphene contents to 0.5 wt % increased the impact strength by 5.7% compared to the control sample. Also water absorption and thickness swelling of the nanocomposites decreased with increasing with amount of graphene to 1wt%. The smooth fracture surfaces and good interaction between the components of the nanocomposites with incorporation of graphene in low concentrations were shown by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs. Thermal analysis using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) showed that addition of WF and graphene to neat PP increased crystallinity and crystallization temperature compared with neat PP.

Key Words

Composite; Polypropylene; Wood; Graphene; Nano

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