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Soda-Treated Sisal/Polypropylene Composites

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Abstract

Treated sisal fibers were used as reinforcement of polypropylene (PP) composites, with maleic anhydride-grafted PP (MAPP) as coupling agent. The composites were made by melting processing of PP with the fiber in a heated roller followed by multiple extrusions in a single-screw extruder. Injection molded specimens were produced for the characterization of the material. In order to improve the adhesion between fiber and matrix and to eliminate odorous substances, sisal fibers were treated with boiling water and with NaOH solutions at 3 and 10 wt.%. The mechanical properties of the composites were assessed by tensile, bend and impact tests. Additionally, the morphology of the composites and the adhesion at he fiber–matrix interface were analyzed by SEM. The fiber treatment led to very light and odorless materials, with yields of 95, 74 and 62 wt.% for treatments with hot water, 3 and 10 wt.% soda solution respectively. Fiber treatment caused an appreciable change in fiber characteristics, yet the mechanical properties under tensile and flexural tests were not influenced by that treatment. Only the impact strength increased in the composites with alkali-treated sisal fibers.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by a cooperation program between Brazil and Spain (Capes-MECD-DGU), through project HBE2003-0008. UdG is also acknowledged for its financial support through a BR grant.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, PB 780, Sao Carlos, SP, 13560-970, Brazil

    Maria T. B. Pimenta & Antonio A. S. Curvelo

  2. Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Campus de Sorocaba, PB 3031, Sorocaba, SP, 18043-970, Brazil

    Antonio J. F. Carvalho

  3. Escola Politècnica Superior, Universitat de Girona, Campus Montilivi, Girona, 17071, Spain

    Fabiola Vilaseca, Jordi Girones, Joan P. López & Pere Mutjé

Authors
  1. Maria T. B. Pimenta
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  2. Antonio J. F. Carvalho
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  3. Fabiola Vilaseca
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  4. Jordi Girones
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  5. Joan P. López
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  6. Pere Mutjé
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  7. Antonio A. S. Curvelo
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Correspondence to Antonio J. F. Carvalho.

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Pimenta, M.T.B., Carvalho, A.J.F., Vilaseca, F. et al. Soda-Treated Sisal/Polypropylene Composites. J Polym Environ 16, 35–39 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-008-0080-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10924-008-0080-0

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