The Effect of Modification Methods on Performance Characteristics of Composites based on Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) and Natural - Hemp Fibres

Mechanics of Composite Materials 2015
Jānis Kajaks, Zane Zelča, Silvija Kukle

The influence of sol-gel modified fibres content on the melt flow index (MFI) and water absorption of a linear low density polyethylene was investigated. The fibres were modified with silica xerogel prepared by the sol-gel polymerization of tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) under hydrolytic conditions using acid catalysis. Alkali pre-treatment was used for some variants and some composite samples were prepared by adding maleic anhydride grafted polyethylene (MA-g-PE). It was found out that melt flow index increases using sol-gel method for hemp fibres modification with fibres content in composite 40 and 50 wt%. Composite with fibres modified by sol-gel method content 40 wt% water absorption were evaluated in a range from 8.5 to 16.32%, but for composites with 50 wt% - 12.12%.

Keywords
linear low-density polyethylene hemp fiber composites performance characteristics
DOI
10.1007/s11029-015-9538-z
Hyperlink
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007%2Fs11029-015-9538-z

Kajaks, J., Zelča, Z., Kukle, S. The Effect of Modification Methods on Performance Characteristics of Composites based on Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE) and Natural - Hemp Fibres. Mechanics of Composite Materials, 2015, Vol.51, Iss.5, pp.677-682. ISSN 0191-5665. e-ISSN 1573-8922. Available from: doi:10.1007/s11029-015-9538-z

Publication language
English (en)