IMPACT ON MORPHOLOGICAL, PHYSICOMECHANICAL AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH CHEMICALLY MODIFIED BETEL NUT HUSK FIBER.

The betel nut husk fibers (BNHF) were extracted from waste betel nut fruit husks. These fibers were cut into 1 to 3 mm size and subjected to chemical treatment with hydrogen peroxide to enhance its compatibility with the Polypropylene (PP) matrix. These chemically treated fibers and untreated fibers were used as reinforcing materials to prepare Polypropylene composites. Different weight percentages (wt.%) (5, 10, 15, 20, 25 and 30%) of both treated and untreated betel nut husk fibers were used to prepare compression moulded PP composites to achieve better interfacial bonding and mechanical properties. Among them 10 wt% fibers and 90 wt.% PP matrix-based composites showed highest value. Tensile strength, elongation at break, FTIR, TGA-DSC, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), water absorption properties were analyzed for all treated and untreated betel nut husk fibers reinforced PP composites. According to the FTIR spectroscopic results the chemical treatment removed an amount of lignin and other impurities, produced dialdehyde cellulose in BNHF. Water absorption tests and SEM observation results revealed that the composites with treated BNHF absorbed less water and good uniformity between fiber and matrix than composites with untreated BNHF. It was found that 10 wt.% treated fiber reinforced PP composites have higher tensile strength than all other composites.