ABSTRACT The use of natural fibers (such as a thermoplastic filler) to replace traditional synthetic fibers, presents interesting alternative low-cost production, ecological and environmental advantages. Through an extrusion process were developed composite materials (MC) fibrous material from banana rachis smaller than a millimeter in different percentages and virgin polypropylene. The composites materials were evaluated with virgin polypropylene (PP). The composites were tested by analysis of melt flow index (FI), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), tensile and flexural, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X -ray diffraction (RX) and Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM). TGA revealed that the incorporation of banana rachis fibers within the matrix causes a reduction in thermal stability. The tensile strength and elongation at break decreases with increasing fiber content and are minor compared to the virgin polypropylene, but its modules increases. By DSC analysis and RX determined that the crystallinity of composites decreases with increasing fiber content. By SEM analysis showed a decrease in stress transfer between the fiber and matrix. The use of the rachis to obtain new composite materials could be an important alternative for new applications from a biowaste and a synthetic resin such as polypropylene. Keywords: Rachis fiber, composite materials, extrusion, polypropylene

Collection and evaluation of blended polypropylene banana tree rachis fibers (Musa AAA)

249th National Meeting (2015)

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