The effect of chicken feather fiber loading and chemical modification of recycled high density polyethylene/natural rubber/chicken feather fiber composites

Recycled high density polyethylene/ natural rubber/ chicken feather fiber (RHDPE/NR/CFF) composites had been prepared using Brabender Plasticorder at temperature 160˚C and rotor speed of 50 rpm. The effect of CFF content and coupling agent on tensil properties, swelling behavior, morphology, spectroscopy infrared (FTIR) analysis, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of RHDPE/NR/CFF composites were studied. The result showed that the addition of CFF reduced the tensile strength, elongation at break and degree of crystallinity, whereas the Young’s modulus, weight swell percentage, and the thermal stability of composites increased. Coupling agent such as benzyl urea and ɛ- Caprolactam were used, which resulted in positive effect on mechanical properties, and swelling behavior of RHDPE/NR/CFF composites. The presence of benzyl urea and ɛ- Caprolactam, have increased the tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and thermal stability but the degree of crystallinity decreased. In addition, RHDPE/NR/CFF composites were treated using ethanol and methyl methacrylate. The ethanol treated RHDPE/NR/CFF composites have higher tensile strength, Young’s modulus, and thermal stability but lower elongation at break, weight swell percentage and the degree of crystallinity compared to the methyl methacrylate treated RHDPE/NR/CFF composites. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) micrographs of tensile fracture surfaces for the composites with chemical modification of benzyl urea, ɛ-Caprolactam, ethanol and methyl methacrylate indicated that the interfacial interaction between CFF and RHDPE/NR blends were better than the control RHDPE/NR/CFF composites.