Preprint Article Version 1 Preserved in Portico This version is not peer-reviewed

Sustainable polypropylene-based composites with agro-waste fillers: thermal, morphological, mechanical properties, and dimensional stability.

Version 1 : Received: 8 December 2023 / Approved: 11 December 2023 / Online: 11 December 2023 (11:52:34 CET)

A peer-reviewed article of this Preprint also exists.

Zhiltsova, T.; Campos, J.; Costa, A.; Oliveira, M.S.A. Sustainable Polypropylene-Based Composites with Agro-Waste Fillers: Thermal, Morphological, Mechanical Properties and Dimensional Stability. Materials 2024, 17, 696. Zhiltsova, T.; Campos, J.; Costa, A.; Oliveira, M.S.A. Sustainable Polypropylene-Based Composites with Agro-Waste Fillers: Thermal, Morphological, Mechanical Properties and Dimensional Stability. Materials 2024, 17, 696.

Abstract

Natural Fibre Composites (NFC) are eco-friendly, sustainable alternatives to synthetic polymers. However, some intrinsic natural fillers´ properties hinder their widespread implementation as re-inforcement in polymeric matrices and require further investigation. In the scope of this study, the thermal, rheologic, mechanical (tension and flexural modes), morphological properties, water ab-sorption and dimensional stability of the NF polypropylene (PP) based injection moulded compo-sites with the rice husk (rh) and olive pits (op) of 20 wt% and 30% wt%, were investigated. The results suggest that the higher content of the rice husk and olive pits led to a similar reduction of the Melt Flow Index (MFI), independent of the additive type compared to virgin polypropylene (PPv). The melting and crystallization temperatures of the PPrh and PPop composites did not change with statistical significance. The composites are stiffer than the PP matrix by up to 49% and possess higher mechanical strength in what concerns the tension mode at the expense of de-creased ductility. PPrh and PPop have superior flexural modulus in the bending mode, while the flexural strength improvement was accomplished for the PP30%rh. The dimensional stability of the composites was improved as the linear shrinkage in the flow direction was decreased by 49% for PPrh and 30% for PPop, positively correlating with an increase in the filler content and stiff-ness. PPop was less susceptible to water sorption than PPrh due to fibres' composition and larger surface-to-area volume ratios.

Keywords

natural fibre-reinforced composites; olive pits; rice husk; non-destructive morphology assessment; polypropylene; short-term water absorption

Subject

Engineering, Mechanical Engineering

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