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Effects of Composition Parameters on Tensile and Thermal Properties of Abaca Fibre Reinforced High Impact Polystyrene Composites

E. H. Agung, S. M. Sapuan, M. M. Hamdan, H. M. D. K. Zaman and U. Mustofa

Pertanika Journal of Science & Technology, Volume 20, Issue 2, July 2012

Keywords: Tensile properties, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), abaca fibre, Maelic Anhydride (MAH), impact modifier, High Impact Polystyrene (HIPS)

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The properties of fibre-reinforced composites are dependent not only on the strength of the reinforcementfibre but also on the distribution of fibre strength and the composition of the chemicals or additivesaddition within the composites. In this study, the tensile properties of abaca fibre reinforced high impactpolystyrene (HIPS) composites, which had been produced with the parameters of fibre loading (30,40,50wt.%), coupling agent maleic anhydride (MAH) (1,2,3 wt%) and impact modifier (4,5,6 wt.%) weremeasured. The optimum amount of MAH is 3% and the impact modifier is 6% and these give the besttensile properties. Meanwhile, Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) was used to study the thermalbehaviour within the optimum conditions of the composites. In this research, glass transitions temperature(Tg) of neat HIPS occurred below the Tg of the optimum condition of composites as the temperature ofan amorphous state. The endothermic peak of the composites was in the range of 430-4350C, includingneat HIPS. It was observed that enthalpy of the abaca fibre reinforced HIPS composites yielded belowthe neat HIPS of 748.79 J/g.

ISSN 0128-7680

e-ISSN 2231-8526

Article ID

JST-0371-2012

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