The Influences NaOH Treatment on Polypropylene/Cyperus Odoratus (PP/CY) Composites: Tensile and Morphology

The bio-plastic composite has attracted the attention of people who work in academic and industrial fields due to the several advantages of this composite as compared with conventional plastic composites. However, the modification of the natural filler used in the bio-composites usually needs a modification before use. In the current work, the chemical modification on Cyperus Odoratus (CY) using different sodium hydroxide (NaOH) concentration at 1, 3, 6 and 9 wt.% were used to investigate the effect of this modification on the tensile properties of Polypropylene/Cyperus Odoratus (PP/CY) composites. The extrusion and injection molding processes were used respectively to prepare the composites. Results suggest that the presence of NaOH, particularly 3 wt.% has improved the tensile strength and the elongation at break of the composite. By contrast, the high NaOH concentration, particularly 9 wt.% has effected negatively on this properties. The tensile modulus increased linearly as NaOH concentration increased in the composites. The SEM micrograph of treated specimens at 3 wt.% NaOH shows improvement on CY surface while 9 wt.% NaOH shows deterioration on the DS surface.