Properties of Plastic Composites Filled with Giant Reed Flour and Magnesium Oxide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Wood plastic composites (WPCs) were produced from recycled polypropylene (RPP) matrix, giant reed (GR) flour, and magnesium oxide nanoparticles (nano-MgO). The physical, mechanical, and thermal properties were analyzed. Different amounts of GR flour from 10 wt% to 40 wt%, and nano-MgO from 1.0 wt% to 2 wt% were added into the RPP matrix. The water resistance, mechanical, and thermal properties of the injection molded WPCs were determined according to the ISO standards. The bending and tensile modulus of the WPCs were considerably enhanced with the addition of the GR flour up to 40 wt%, while this was found to be maximum at 30 wt% for the bending and tensile strengths. The water absorption of the WPCs increased with the addition of the GR flour, as expected. The results of thermal analysis revealed that the addition of the GR flour increased the thermal stability of the WPCs, especially the degree of crystallization and the melting enthalpies of the RPP matrix, due to the good adhesion between the GR flour and the RPP. The incorporation of the nano-MgO affected adversely the mechanical properties of the WPCs. Lower thermal stability was observed for WPCs containing nano-MgO. The inclusion of 30 wt% GR flour in the RPP matrix gave the best mechanical and thermal properties.