Experimental study on thermal and tensile properties on polypropylene maleic anhydride as a compatibilizer in polypropylene/sugarcane bagasse composite

The effect of polypropylene maleic anhydride (PPMAH) as a compatibilizer in polypropylene (PP)/ sugarcane bagasse (SCB) composite were studied. The composite were prepared through melt mixing at the 180 °C for 7 minutes using 15 rpm rotor speed using heated two roll mill. The mixing was moulded into 1 mm thin sheet by using the hot press machine with temperature at the 180 °C for 10 minutes. Then, the sheet was cut into dumbbell shape for further analysis. The specimens were analysed for thermal and tensile properties. The thermal and tensile strength was found to be decreased with increasing of filler content. However, tensile strength and Young's modules of the PP/SCB/PPMAH composite were found to increase, while the elongation at break showed the opposite trend as compared to the control composite.