The present trend to increase emphasis on the role of sustainable development and eco-friendly designs has attracted "greener footprint " composites over non-degradable polymer composites. Microcrystalline cellulose has gained surge of interest as a reinforcing material in composite fabrication, with the advantages of higher degree of crystallinity, high aspect ratio, large surface area, higher mechanical strength and stiffness compared to native cellulose, which comes with its peculiar micrometric dimensions. Microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) was incorporated into isotactic polypropylene (PP) based composites to improve mechanical, thermal and physical properties of PP. Extreme hydrophilic MCC makes a weak interface with hydrophobic PP resulting poor compatibility in two phases. Thus, sunflower oil ethyl esters (SFEEs) were used as the bio compatible surface modifier to improve the compatibility with hydrophobic PP. SFEEs were transesterified onto MCC surface via ultrasonication technology to heighten the surface hydrophobicity of MCC. Modified MCC was characterized by FTIR, SEM, XRD, TGA, DTA and wettability analysis. Modified MCC was completely dispersed in the non-polar phase due to its improved surface hydrophobicity preserving its crystal structure. Mechanical tests, water absorption and thermal stability were analyzed separately for binary (PP/MCC) and ternary (PP/MCC/SFEE) composites as a function of fiber loading (0-5 wt.%). All modified MCC-PP composites showed higher mechanical, thermal and physical properties as a consequence of better interfacial adhesion between filler and matrix than unmodified MCC-PP composites. Incorporation of 5% modified MCC improved tensile, impact and hardness properties of the composites to its maximum by 6%, 13% and 14% compared to the 5% unmodified MCC-PP composite. Therefore these notable results exhibited the potential of surface modification to achieve better MCC-PP interfacial adhesion via a economical, industry friendly and environmentally friendly green pathway. Developed composites can be used in vast variety of engineering applications. 

Funtionalization and characterization of polypropylene: Microcrystalline cellulose green composites

Macromolecular Chemistry: The Second Century

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ACS Spring 2020 National Meeting & Expo

The official archive and repository for all ACS Meetings & Expositions abstracts and select posters or presentations.