Sains Malaysiana 49(9)(2020): 2293-2300

http://dx.doi.org/10.17576/jsm-2020-4909-26

Density Measurement, Tensile, and Morphology Properties of Polylactic Acid Biocomposites Foam Reinforced with Different Kenaf Filler Loading

(Ukuran Ketumpatan, Sifat Regangan dan Morfologi Biokomposit Berbusa Asid Polilaktik Berpenguat Pengisi Kenaf dengan Pembebanan Berbeza)

NUR ADILAH ABU HASSAN¹, SAHRIM AHMAD^1,2 & RUEY SHAN CHEN^1,2*

¹Department of Applied Physics, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

²Materials Science Programme, Faculty of Science and Technology, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, 43600 UKM Bangi, Selangor Darul Ehsan, Malaysia

Received: 15 October 2019/Accepted: 8 May 2020

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the performance of polylactic acid (PLA)/kenaf fiber (KF) composites foamed using azodicarbonamide (AC) in terms of density, mechanical, and morphology aspects. The KF loading was varied in the range of 20-40 wt. %. The mixtures were compounded using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder and followed by hot-cold pressing in order to prepare test specimens for characterization. The density of the foamed composites showed a fluctuate trend where it decreased at lower KF loading (0-20 wt. %) while further increasing fiber loading (30-40 wt. %) resulted in an increase of the composites density. Tensile results showed that the optimum loading of KF was achieved at 30 wt. % with an improvement of 135, 153, and 27.6% for stress at yield, strain at break and Young modulus, respectively, as compared to neat PLA foam. Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) micrographs confirmed the fiber dispersion and morphological interaction between PLA and KF components.

Keywords: Biopolymer; foaming process; lightweight material; mechanical properties; microcellular foam

ABSTRAK

Kertas ini mengkaji prestasi komposit asid polilaktik (PLA)/gentian kenaf (KF) dibusakan dengan menggunakan azodikarbonamida (AC) dari segi aspek mekanik, ketumpatan dan morfologi. Kandungan KF divariasikan dalam lingkungan 20-40 % bt. Campuran diadunkan dengan menggunakan mesin penyemperit skru berkembar searah dan diikuti dengan penekanan panas dan sejuk bagi menyediakan spesimen untuk dianalisis. Ketumpatan bagi komposit berbusa menunjukkan tren turun-naik kerana ia menurun pada kandungan KF yang rendah (0-20 % bt.) manakala kandungan KF yang semakin meningkat (30-40 % bt.) telah menyebabkan peningkatan ketumpatan komposit. Keputusan ujian regangan menunjukkan bahawa kandungan optimum KF telah dicapai pada 30 % bt. dengan peningkatan sebanyak 135, 153 dan 27.6% masing-masing pada kekuatan regangan, pemanjangan pada takat putus dan modulus Young berbanding dengan PLA berbusa. Mikrograf pancaran medan mikroskop elektron pengimbasan (FESEM) mengesahkan penyebaran gentian dan interaksi antara muka antara komponen PLA dan KF.

Kata kunci: Bahan ringan; biopolimer; busa mikrosel; proses membusa; sifat mekanik

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*Corresponding author; email: chen@ukm.edu.my