Processing and properties of high density polyethylene/date palm fiber composites prepared by a laboratory mixing extruder

Achmad Chafidz; Muhammad Rizal; Faisal RM; Mujtahid Kaavessina; Dhoni Hartanto; S. M. AlZahrani

doi:10.15282/jmes.12.3.2018.2.0333

Authors

Achmad Chafidz 1Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta 55584, Indonesia
Muhammad Rizal PT Petrokimia Gresik, Jalan Jenderal Akhmad Yani, Gresik 61119, Indonesia
Faisal RM 1Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Islam Indonesia, Yogyakarta 55584, Indonesia
Mujtahid Kaavessina Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Sebelas Maret, Surakarta 57126, Indonesia
Dhoni Hartanto Chemical Engineering Department, Universitas Negeri Semarang, Semarang 50229, Indonesia
S. M. AlZahrani Chemical Engineering Department, King Saud University, P.O. BOX 800, Riyadh 11421, Saudi Arabia

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15282/jmes.12.3.2018.2.0333

Keywords:

High density polyethylene, date palm fiber, composites, melt blending, thermal properties, rheological properties

Abstract

In this work, “green” composites made from High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) and natural fiber based date palm fiber have been prepared and studied. The effects of different loadings of date palm fibers (DPF) on the morphological, thermal and melt rheological properties of the composites have been investigated. Morphological investigation showed that the fibers were evenly dispersed in HDPE matrix at all DPF loadings. Additionally, the results of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis revealed that the addition of the DPF in the HDPE matrix has slightly increased the crystallization temperature (ΔT = ± 1.33 oC). However, the crystallinity index, Xc of the composites at all DPF loadings were lower than the neat HDPE. The decrease of Xc was approximately 10.5 – 14 %. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) analysis results revealed that the addition of the DPF into the HDPE matrix has increased the crystallization temperature. However, the crystallinity index of the composites at all DPF loadings were lower than the neat HDPE. In term of melt rheological analysis, the complex viscosity of the composites were all higher than the HDPE matrix and increased with the increase of DPF loadings, which was due to the restriction of the HDPE chain segment movements as the amount of DPF increased.

References

Väisänen T, Das O, Tomppo L. A review on new bio-based constituents for natural fiber-polymer composites. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2017;149: 82-96.

Winandy JE, Williams RS, Rudie AW, Ross RJ. Opportunities for using wood and biofibers for energy, chemical feedstocks, and structural applications, A2 - Pickering, Kim L. Properties and Performance of Natural-Fibre Composites. Woodhead Publishing. 2008;p. 330-55.

Väisänen T, Haapala A, Lappalainen R, Tomppo L. Utilization of agricultural and forest industry waste and residues in natural fiber-polymer composites: A review. Waste Management. 2016;54:62-73.

McCormick K, Kautto N. The bioeconomy in Europe: An overview. Sustainability. 2013; 5(6):2589-608.

Al-Oqla FM, Sapuan SM. Natural fiber reinforced polymer composites in industrial applications: feasibility of date palm fibers for sustainable automotive industry. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2014;66:347-54.

Kiruthika AV. A review on physico-mechanical properties of bast fibre reinforced polymer composites. Journal of Building Engineering. 2017;9:91-99.

Fairuz A, Sapuan SM, Zainudin E, Jaafar C. Effect of filler loading on mechanical properties of pultruded kenaf fibre reinforced vinyl ester composites. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences. 2016;10:1931-42.

Ismail A.E, Aziz CA, Aswadi M. Tensile strength of woven yarn kenaf fiber reinforced polyester composites. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences. 2015;9:1695-704.

Loh X, Daud MM, Selamat M. Mechanical properties of kenaf/polypropylene composite: An investigation. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences. 2016;10(2):2098-2110

Ku H,Wang H, Pattarachaiyakoop N, Trada M. A review on the tensile properties of natural fiber reinforced polymer composites. Composites Part B - Engineering. 2011;42(4):856-73.

Yan L, Chouw N, Jayaraman K. Flax fibre and its composites – A review. Composites Part B - Engineering. 2014;56:296-317.

Pilla S. Handbook of bioplastics and biocomposites engineering applications. John Wiley & Sons. 2011.

Saba N, Tahir PM, Jawaid M. A review on potentiality of nano filler/natural fiber filled polymer hybrid composites. Polymers. 2014;6(8):2247-73.

Fauzi F, Ghazalli Z, Siregar J. Effect of various kenaf fiber content on the mechanical properties of composites. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences. 2016;10:2226-33.

Lee C, Sapuan SM, Lee J, Hassan M. Mechanical properties of kenaf fibre reinforced floreon biocomposites with magnesium hydroxide filler. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences. 2016;10(3):2234-48

Mohammed A, Bachtiar D, Siregar J, Rejab M. Effect of sodium hydroxide on the tensile properties of sugar palm fibre reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane composites. Journal of Mechanical Engineering and Sciences. 2016;10(1):1765-77.

Pickering KL, Beckermann GW, Alam SN. Foreman N.J. Optimising industrial hemp fibre for composites. Composites Part A - Applied Science. 2007;38(2):461-68.

Ibrahim H, Farag M, Megahed H, Mehanny S. Characteristics of starch-based biodegradable composites reinforced with date palm and flax fibers. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2014;101:11-19.

Alawar A, Hamed AM, Al-Kaabi K. Characterization of treated date palm tree fiber as composite reinforcement. Composites Part B - Engineering. 2009;40(7):601-06.

Benmansour N, Agoudjil B, Gherabli A, Kareche A, Boudenne A. Thermal and mechanical performance of natural mortar reinforced with date palm fibers for use as insulating materials in building. Energy and Buildings. 2014;81:98-104.

Chikhi M, Agoudjil B, Boudenne A, Gherabli A. Experimental investigation of new biocomposite with low cost for thermal insulation. Energy and Buildings. 2013;6:267-73.

Boumhaout M, Boukhattem L, Hamdi H, Benhamou B, Ait Nouh F. Thermomechanical characterization of a bio-composite building material: Mortar reinforced with date palm fibers mesh. Construction and Building Materials. 2017;135:241-50.

Boukhattem L, Boumhaout M, Hamdi H, Benhamou B, Ait Nouh F. Moisture content influence on the thermal conductivity of insulating building materials made from date palm fibers mesh. Construction and Building Materials. 2017;148:811-23.

Al-Khanbashi A, Al-Kaabi K, Hammami A. Date palm fibers as polymeric matrix reinforcement: Fiber characterization. Polymer Composites. 2005;26(4):486-97.

Al-Kaabi K, Al-Khanbashi A, Hammami A. Date palm fibers as polymeric matrix reinforcement: DPF/polyester composite properties. Polymer Composites. 2005;26(5):604-13.

Oushabi A, Sair S, Abboud Y, Tanane O, Bouari AE. An experimental investigation on morphological, mechanical and thermal properties of date palm particles reinforced polyurethane composites as new ecological insulating materials in building. Case Studies in Construction Materials. 2017; 7:128-37.

Chafidz A, Kaavessina M, Al-Zahrani S, Al-Otaibi M. Polypropylene/organoclay nanocomposites prepared using a Laboratory Mixing Extruder (LME): crystallization, thermal stability and dynamic mechanical properties. Journal of Polymer Research. 2014;21(6):1-18.

Chafidz A, Latief FH, Samad UA, Ajbar A, Al-Masry W. Nanoindentation creep, nano-impact, and thermal properties of multiwall carbon nanotubes-polypropylene nanocomposites prepared via melt blending. Polymer-Plastics Technology and Engineering. 2016;55(13):1373-85.

Chafidz A, Rengga WDP, Khan R, Kaavessina M, Almutlaq AM, Almasry WA, Ajbar A, Polypropylene/multiwall carbon nanotubes nanocomposites: Nanoindentation, dynamic mechanical, and electrical properties. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 2017;134:45293.

Ibrahim MM, Dufresne A, El-Zawawy WK, Agblevor FA. Banana fibers and microfibrils as lignocellulosic reinforcements in polymer composites. Carbohydrate Polymers. 2010;81(4):811-19.

Chafidz A, Kaavessina M, Al-Zahrani S, Al-Otaibi MN. Rheological and mechanical properties of polypropylene/calcium carbonate nanocomposites prepared from masterbatch. Journal of Thermoplastic Composite Materials. 2014;29:593-622.

López-Manchado MA, Arroyo M. Thermal and dynamic mechanical properties of polypropylene and short organic fiber composites. Polymer. 2000;41(21):7761-67.

Sui G, Fuqua MA, Ulven CA, Zhong WH. A plant fiber reinforced polymer composite prepared by a twin-screw extruder. Bioresource Technology. 2009;100(3):1246-51.

Amash A, Zugenmaier P. Thermal and dynamic mechanical investigations on fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 1997;63(9):1143-54.

Mi Y, Chen X, Guo Q. Bamboo fiber-reinforced polypropylene composites: Crystallization and interfacial morphology. Journal of Applied Polymer Science. 1997;64(7):1267-73.

Chafidz A, Hamdan Latief F, Al-Fatesh AS, Kaavessina M. Crystallization and thermal stability of polypropylene/multi-wall carbon nanotube nanocomposites. Philosophical Magazine Letters. 2016;96(10):367-74.

Salleh FM, Hassan A, Yahya R, Azzahari AD. Effects of extrusion temperature on the rheological, dynamic mechanical and tensile properties of kenaf fiber/HDPE composites. Composites Part B - Engineering. 2014;58:259-66.