The Mechanical Properties And Morphology Study Of The Silica-Reinforced Polyethylene (PE) Composites

Go, Sook Huey (2008) The Mechanical Properties And Morphology Study Of The Silica-Reinforced Polyethylene (PE) Composites. Project Report. UTeM, Melaka, Malaysia. (Submitted)

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Abstract

The objectives of this research are to study the relationship of morphology and mechanical properties of the silica-reinforced polypropylene composites and to find optimum ratio of silica to PE. In this research, polyethylene (PE) is used as the matrix of the composites, while the reinforcement is silica particle with size of 5.221um. Polyethylene is used as matrix due to its lightweight, good mechanical performance, economic in fabricating and accepted to many types of filler. As we know, silica is a type of mineral fillers which is added to polymers in order to reduce cost and improve stiffness. In the sample preparation, the silica particles are compounded with PE to produce composites in the form of pellets. The mixing of matrix and filler is performed at three different fillers loading which are 20%~ 30% and 40% of volume. Then, the compounding was brought to the huL press machine to produce a plate specimen and tested mechanically to investigate the strength and flexural properties. At the same time, the morphology study of fracture surface for tensile test samples will be observed under Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). From the result, it shows that tensile modulus, flexural strength and elongation to break for flexural were enhanced by addition of silica in 20% and 30% volume to the PE. A strong fill er or matrix adhesion would lead to enhance strength of particuJatc composites. Nevertheless, it did not show improvement in the tensile strength of the composite. For the morphology of fracture surface, it was indicated that the dispersion of the particles in the 20% was fairly good. Whereas the PE with 40% silica particles are severely agglomerated in PE matrix: due to the particles are not disperse well in the matrix. Tt can be concluded that the shape, particle size, aspect ratio, volume fraction and specific surface area of the filler particles were affected the mechanicaJ propertjes of the composite.

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