The Effect of Microcrystalline Cellulose on the Physical, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Composites Based on Cantala Fiber and Recycled High-Density Polyethylene

ABSTRACT

This research is conducted to improve the performance of plant fiber-based composites by inserting microcrystalline cellulose (MCC). MCC was incorporated into a mixture of recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE) and cantala fiber at a ratio of 1, 2, 3, and 4% wt. The composites rHDPE/cantala fiber/MCC were fabricated via a twin screw extruder followed by a hot press. The composite’s mechanical, physical, and thermal properties were tested to investigate the effect of adding MCC. It was observed that the enhancement of MCC led to a significant improvement in the mechanical performance of the composite. Adding 4%wt MCC resulted in a significant improvement in mechanical properties of 50.7%, 31%, and 37.7%, respectively, in tensile strength, bending strength, and impact strength compared to rHDPE/cantala composite without MCC. Adding MCC up to 4% wt slightly increased the composite density from 0.88gr/cm³ to 0.90 gr/cm³. The enhancement of MCC did not significantly change the diffraction peak position of the composite. However, composite crystallinity increased by 6.7%. In addition, the augment of MCC increased the thermal stability of the composite, as indicated by the delay in composite degradation.

摘要

本研究旨在通过插入微晶纤维素（MCC）来提高植物纤维基复合材料的性能. 将MCC以1、2、3和4%重量的比例掺入回收高密度聚乙烯（rHDPE）和康塔拉纤维的混合物中. 采用双螺杆挤出机和热压法制备了rHDPE/康塔拉纤维/MCC复合材料. 测试了复合材料的力学、物理和热财产，以研究添加MCC的影响. 据观察，MCC的增强导致复合材料的机械性能显著提高. 与不含MCC的rHDPE/cantala复合材料相比，添加4%wt MCC后，拉伸强度、弯曲强度和冲击强度的机械财产分别显著提高50.7%、31%和37.7%. 添加高达4%wt的MCC使复合材料密度从0.88gr/cm3略微增加到0.90gr/cm3. MCC的增强并没有显著改变复合物的衍射峰位置. 然而，复合材料的结晶度增加了6.7%. 此外，MCC的增加增加了复合材料的热稳定性，复合材料降解的延迟表明了这一点.

KEYWORDS:

• rHDPE/cantala composite
• mechanical properties
• thermal properties
• physical properties
• microcrystalline cellulose, twin screw extruder, hot press

关键词:

• 康塔拉复合材料
• 力学财产
• 热财产
• 物理财产
• 微晶纤维素，双螺杆挤出机，热压

Highlights

• Micro Crystalline Cellulose is investigated as reinforcement of cantala fiber/rHDPE composites

• The effect of MCC on the properties of the mechanical composites is investigated.

• The effectiveness of the amount of MCC is studied.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.