Characterization of Polypropylene/Corn Fiber Composites with Maleic Anhydride Grafted Polypropylene

Strong interest in the development of renewable products has placed focus upon the use of natural fiber as reinforcements in polymer matrix composites. While reinforcement for thermoplastic composite material production has been a very promising area of research with large advances being made in the past decade, focus was mainly directed towards nanoscale reinforcement such as layered silicates, carbon nanofibers, and carbon nanotubes. The focus of this research has been to examine the effects of micro-sized cellulose based corn fibers as reinforcement agents in polypropylene composites. Samples were melt-blended using both polypropylene and maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene in a twin screw extruder. The resulting structures were characterized by thermal analysis to examine melt properties, crystallinity, and thermal stability. Mechanical testing was also performed to qualify both the reinforcement properties of the corn fibers, as well as the bonding ability of the polypropylene matrix and fiber with and without the use of a compatibilizer. Analysis of this data reflects the necessity of using a compatibilizer such as maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene to facilitate fiber/polymer dispersion and bonding, which results in improved reinforcement properties.