PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF PP/HDPE/NANOCLAY/SHORT FIBER HYBRID COMPOSITES USING RESPONSE SURFACE METHODOLOGY

Abstract

Polymer composites reinforced with either short fiber or nanoclay are popular in the field of polymers and nanotechnology. The objective of this work is to study the combined effect of glass fiber and nan kaolinite clay in polymer matrix. The polymer blend selected in this study is 80/20 blend of polypropylene and high density polyethylene. The hybrid composites of polymer/short fiber/nanoclay were prepared by melt compounding. The effect of process parameters like temperature, time, clay content and glass fiber content on the properties of the hybrid composites were analysed using Box Behnken Design of Response Surface Methodology. Mechanical properties of the composites investigated were tensile strength, tensile modulus, elongation at break, impact strength, flexural strength and flexural modulus. Morphological behaviour of the composites were analysed using scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface of hybrid composite samples. Thermal characterization was done using thermo gravimetric analysis. The studies show that glass fiber and nanoclay can introduce synergism in the polymer matrix. The hybrid composite has potential applications in the manufacture of aircrafts, ships and submarines.