Deformation and failure of sugarcane bagasse reinforced PP

• Published in: European polymer journal 2019-03, Vol.112, p.153-160
• Main Authors: Anggono, Juliana, Farkas, Ágnes Elvira, Bartos, András, Móczó, János, Antoni, Purwaningsih, Hariyati, Pukánszky, Béla
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acoustic emission testing; Adhesion tests; Bagasse; Coupling agents; Debonding; Deformation resistance; Electron micrographs; Emission analysis; Extrusion molding; Fibers; Flour; Formability; Fracture resistance; Fracture testing; Impact resistance; Injection molding; Instrumented impact testing; Interfacial adhesion; Local deformation processes; Mechanical properties; Natural fiber reinforcement; Plastic deformation; Polymer matrix composites; Polypropylene; Scanning electron microscopy; Skeletal composites; Stiffness; Sugarcane; Tensile strength; Yield stress
• ISSN: 0014-3057; 1873-1945
• DOI: 10.1016/j.eurpolymj.2018.12.033

[Display omitted] •PP/sugarcane bagasse composites were prepared from agricultural waste.•Sugarcane bagasse fibers reinforce polypropylene similarly to other natural fibers.•Debonding dominates when adhesion is weak, while fracture occurs when it is strong.•Increased plastic deformation results in slightly improved impact resistance. Polypropylene composites were prepared from sugarcane bagasse fibers by extrusion and injection molding. Wood flour was used as reference filler in the study. The fiber content of the composites changed between 0 and 30 wt% in 5 wt% steps. Maleated polypropylene was used as coupling agent to improve interfacial adhesion. Mechanical properties were characterized by tensile and fracture testing, while local deformation processes were followed by acoustic emission and instrumented impact testing, as well as by the analysis of scanning electron micrographs. The results showed that sugarcane bagasse fibers reinforce polypropylene similarly to other natural fibers. They increases stiffness, but decrease tensile yield stress, tensile strength and deformability. Increased interfacial adhesion leads to the considerable improvement of reinforcement. Bagasse fiber and wood flour filled composites have very similar properties. The impact resistance of the composites increased in the presence of both fibers compared to the neat matrix. Debonding is the dominating process in the absence of the coupling agent, while mainly fiber fracture occurs in its presence. Increased plastic deformation after debonding results in slightly improved impact resistance.