Particulate Fillers in Thermoplastics

The characteristics of particulate filled thermoplastics are determined by four factors: component properties, composition, structure and interfacial interactions. The most important filler characteristics are particle size, size distribution, specific surface area and particle shape, while the main matrix property is stiffness. Segregation, aggregation and the orientation of anisotropic particles determine structure. Interfacial interactions lead to the formation of a stiff interphase considerably influencing properties. Interactions are changed by surface modification, which must be always system specific and selected according to its goal. Under the effect of external load inhomogeneous stress distribution develops around heterogeneities, which initiate local micromechanical deformation processes determining the macroscopic properties of the composites

Increased Water Resistance of Bamboo Flour/Polyethylene Composites

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Mechanical and thermal properties of organosolv lignin/sodium dodecyl sulphate binary agent-treated polypropylene/chitosan composites

The effects of filler content and chemical treatment on mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene–chitosan composites were investigated. Filler chemical treatment was carried out by reacting chitosan with organosolv lignin/sodium dodecyl sulphate binary modifying agents under mild condition. Filler–matrix interfacial adhesion enhanced considerably in presence of the binary agent that effectively modified the chitosan surface, leading to increased tensile and impact strength of the composites. Even though the chemical treatments did not change the thermal degradation mechanism of the composites, the obtained results exhibited that the treated composites had better thermal properties than the untreated composites. These finding implies that organosolv lignin-containing binary modifying agents could be a potential reagent to replace synthetic modifying agents