The objective of the present article was to study the thermal degradation behavior of natural fiber polypropylene composites. Composite materials composed of 50% various natural fibers (wood flour, rice hulls, newsprint, and kenaf fibers) and polypropylene were studied using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential thermal analysis (DTA), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The effect of compatibilzer on the thermal stability of the composites was also evaluated. Contributions of components of one composite formulation to thermal degradation were also evaluated. It was found that among natural fibers, rice hulls were the least thermally stable ones in a polypropylene matrix. The compatibilizer slightly reduced thermal stability while enhancing fiber—matrix interaction and fractional crystallinity. The overall thermal degradation profile of the composite materials was found to be a more or less arithmetic average of those of the components.
Kazemi Najafi, S., Hamidinia, E. and Tajvidi, M. (2006). Mechanical Properties of Composites from Sawdust and Recycled Plastics, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 100: 3641-3645.
2.
Tajvidi, M., Kazemi Najafi, S. and Moteei, N. ( 2006). Long-term Water Uptake Behavior of Natural Fiber/Polypropylene Composites, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 99: 2199-2203.
3.
Ramiah, M.V. (1970). Thermogravimetric and Differential Thermal Analysis of Cellulose, Hemicellulose and Lignin, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 14: 1323-1328.
4.
Burgstaller, C. (2007). Processing of Thermal Sensitive Materials - A Case Study for Wood Plastic Composites, Monatshefte fur Chemie, 138: 343-346.
5.
Renneckar, S. , Zink-Sharp, A.G., Ward, T.C. and Glasser, W.G. (2004). Compositional Analysis of Thermoplastic Wood Composites by TGA, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 93: 1484-1492.
6.
Jakab, E., Varhegyi, G. and Faix, O. ( 2000). Thermal Decomposition of Polypropylene in the Presence of Wood-derived Materials, Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 56: 273-285.
7.
Coutinho, F.M.B. , Costa, T.H.S., Carvalho, D.L., Gorelova, M.M. and de Santa Maria , L.C. (1998). Thermal Behavior of Modified Wood Fibers, Polymer Testing , 17: 299-310.
8.
Ahmad Fuad, M.Y., Zaini, M.J., Jamaludin, M., Mohd Ishak, Z.A. and Mohd Omar , A.K. (1994). Determination of Filler Content in Rice Husk Ash and Wood-Based Composites by Thermogravimetric Analysis, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 51: 1875-1882.
9.
Chan, J.H. and Balke, S.T. ( 1997). The Thermal Degradation Kinetics of Polypropylene. 3. Thermogravimetric Analyses, Polymer Degradation and Stabiltiy , 57: 135-149.
10.
Sailaja, R.R.N. (2006). Mechanical And Thermal Properties of Bleached Kraft Pulp-ldpe Composites: Effect of Epoxy Functionalized Compatibilizer, Composites Science and Technology, 66: 2039-2048.
11.
Li, B. and He, J. ( 2004). Investigation of Mechanical Property, Flame Retardancy and Thermal Degradation of LLDPE-Wood-Fiber Composites, Polymer Degradation and Stability, 83: 241-246.
12.
Salemane, M.G. and Luyt, A.S. (2006). Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Polypropylene-Wood Powder Composites, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 100: 4173-4180.
13.
Tajvidi, M., Falk, R.H. and Hermanson, J.C. ( 2006). Effect of Natural Fibers on Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Natural Fiber Polypropylene Composites Studied by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis , Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 101: 4341-4349.
14.
Kim, H., Lee, B., Choi, S., Kim, S. and Kim, H. ( 2007). The Effect of Types of Maleic Anhydride-grafted Polypropylene (MAPP) on the Interfacial Adhesion Properties of Bio-flour-filled Polypropylene Composites, Composites: Part A, 38: 1473-1482.
15.
Kazemi Najafi, S., Tajvidi, M. and Chaharmahali , M. (2006). Long-Term Water Uptake Behavior of Lignocellulosic-high Density Polyethylene Composites, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, 102: 3907-3911.
16.
Nunez, A.J. , Kenny, J.M., Reboredo, M.M., Aranguren, M.I. and Marcovich , N.E. (2002). Thermal and Dynamic Mechanical Characterization of Polypropylene-Wood Flour Composites, Polymer Engineering and Science, 42(4): 733-742.
17.
Negro, M.J. , Manzanares, P., Oliva, J.M., Ballesteros, I. and Ballesteros , M. (2003). Changes in Various Physical/Chemical Parameters of Pinus pinaster Wood after Steam Explosion Pretreatment, Biomass and Bioenergy, 25: 301-308.
18.
Muller-Hagedorn, M., Bockhorn, H., Krebs, L. and Muller, U. (2003). A Comparative Kinetic Study on the Pyrolysis of Three Different Wood Species, Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 68-69: 231-249.
19.
Wu, Y., Isarov, A.V. and O’ Connell, C. ( 1999). Thermal Analysis of High Density Polyethylene-Maple Wood Flour Composites, Thermochimica Acta, 340-341: 205-220.
20.
Miura, M., Nishizaki, H., Tanaka, R. and Yaku, F. ( 1983). Fundamental Study of Wood Pyrolysis by a Fuidized Bed Examination of Saccharides in the Pyrolygeneous Liquor. Reports of the Government Industrial Development Laboratory, Hokkaido, Japan, Vol. 31, p. 23.
21.
Sanadi, A.R. and Caulfield, D.F. (2000). Transcrystalline Interphases in Natural Fiber-PP Composites: Effect of Coupling Agent, Composite Interfaces, 7(1): 31-43.
