Civil Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
100
PP matrix
PP/KE (1 mm) 40wt%
PP/KE (10 mm) 40wt%
80
71.1
68.9
62.9
60
51.9
49.4
46.6
40
34.3
32.0
30.6
20
0
clay 0 wt%
clay 5 wt%
clay 10 wt%
(
a
)
4
PP matrix
PP/KE (1 mm) 40wt%
PP/KE (10 mm) 40wt%
3
2.7
2.5
2.3
2
1.6
1.5
1.4
1.1
1.0
0.9
1
0
(
b
)
clay 0 wt%
clay 5 wt%
clay 10 wt%
Figure 7.7
Flexural strength and modulus of PP/KE/nanoclay nanobiocomposites. I. Na. Sim
et al.
h e l exural strength of PP/KE (1mm) biocomposites decreased 33.9% compared to
that of PP matrix due to weak i ber-matrix interfacial adhesion. h e l exural strength
and modulus of PP/KE (10 mm) biocomposites, however, increased 36.9 and 155.6%
compared to those of PP matrix. h is increase in the l exural properties is attributed
to the increasing contact between i ber and matrix, in other words, increasing i ber
length [22, 29]. As also shown in Figure 7.7, the l exural strength and modulus of PP/
KE (10 mm) nanobiocomposites of 0, 5, 10 wt% nanoclay loadings showed a remark-
able increase of 107.3, 115.3, 105.6% and 64.3, 66.7, 68.8%, respectively, compared to
those of PP/KE (1 mm) nanobiocomposites.
7.3.6
Impact Properties
h e Izod impact tests were conducted with the notched and unnotched specimens at
room temperature. h e notched tip is a concentrating point when impact occurs and
provides the easy propagation of crack [30]. Figure 7.8 shows the ef ect of the i ber
length on Izod impact strength of nanobiocomposites. It can be seen that both notched
and unnotched impact strength increased with increasing i ber length and nano-
clay loading. h e maximum notched and unnotched impact strength were 182.3 and
315.1 J/m, respectively, for the i ber length of 10 mm and nanoclay loading of 10 wt%.
Especially, the notched impact strength of PP/KE (10 mm) nanobiocomposites with
0, 5, 10 wt% nanoclay loadings showed an increase of 355.7, 342.4 and 343.6% higher
