Research On Bamboo Flour/Polypropylene Composites

In this thesis polypropylene (PP) composites were prepared with the main ingredients polypropylene and bamboo flour (BF). The compatibility on the interface of toughening phase and the matrix resin is inferior because PP is non-polar while the surface of the fiber is polar with more hydroxyl groups.Different types of polypropylene grafted maleic anhydride (PP-g-MAH) were chosen as compatibilizers to improve the compatibility of the interface, where esterification occured between hydroxyls of the fiber and maleic anhydride groups of the compatibilizers to decrease the number of hydroxyls so that the compatibility was improved. The content of compatibilizer was between 4 wt% and 6 wt% to guarantee superior mechanical properties.In order to improve the impact strength, conventional flexibilizers, such as EVA and MBS, and reactive flexibilizers, such as glycidyl methacrylate grafted poly (ethylene-1-octene) (POE-g-GMA), maleic anhydride grafted poly (ethylene-octene) (POE-g-MAH), and poly (ethylene-butylacrylate-glycidyl methacrylate) (PTW) were chosen respectively, where the latter had the function to improve the compatibility through the reaction of functional groups with hydroxyls on the surface of the fiber besides the toughening function. The composite had excellent properties when the content of flexibilizer was between 6 wt% and 8 wt%.It can be concluded from the test of thermal expansion coefficient, heat resistent property and DSC that the temperature of heat resistent and crystallization are increased with the addition of reactive flexibilizers. From the morphologies of SEM, it can be concluded that the fiber was wrapped better by resins for the better adhesive effect on the interface.