Fabrication and Characterization of Nanofibrillated Cellulose (NFC) Reinforced Polymer Composite

Bandu Samarasekara1, Nimrekha Kahavita1, Shantha Amarasinghe1, L Karunanayake2

  • 1University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
  • 2University of Sri Jayewardenepura, Sri Lanka

Details

11:45 - 12:00 | Thu 31 May | SD1 | T.2.2-4

Session: Materials Science and Engineering II

Abstract

Increasing demands of property enhance materials leads to acquire advancement of nanomaterials. Therefore, Interest in nanocellulose has been increasing exponentially in recent years. Out of the two categories of nanocellulose, nanofibrillated cellulose has gained more attention than nanocrystalline cellulose due to attractive properties such as mechanical, reinforcing ability and aspect ratio. Reinforcement of nanofibrillated cellulose with synthetic polymers could enhance properties with considerable amounts. Polypropylene is one of the widely used hydrophobic thermoplastic materials and nanofibrillated cellulose is hydrophilic in nature. Therefore, surface development of nanofibrillated cellulose is necessary for better performances. In the present paper discuss mechanical, thermal and water absorption properties of polypropylene composites with up to 5% loading of silane surface modified nanofibrillated cellulose. Scanning electron microscopic images, Fourier-transform infrared spectra, X-ray diffractograms and thermal gravimetric analysis were used to analyze the properties. The best properties were given by the 3.5% nanofibrillated cellulose based polypropylene composite and hardness, tensile and impact strength values are respectively 7.4%, 12.6%, and 86.1% higher than the neat polypropylene.