Optimal Formulation of Recycled Polypropylene/Rubberwood Flour Composites on Hardness Property

Abstract:

Mixture experimental design was applied to determine the optimal mixture for composites between rubberwood flour (RWF) and recycled polypropylene (rPP). Experiments were conducted based on a D-optimal mixture design and analyzed using response surface methodology. Analysis of variance revealed that compositions including rPP, RWF, maleic anhydride grafted polypropylene (MAPP), and ultraviolet (UV) stabilizer significantly affected hardness property. Contour plots of the response surface demonstrated that an increase of RWF content steadily enhanced hardness value, but hardness property sharply decreased with an increase of rPP loading. An addition of the UV stabilizer in the composites showed a slight decrease of the hardness value. This result recommends that amount of UV stabilizer used should be minimized. With this experimental design, the optimal formulation of rPP/RWF composites found was 50.0 wt% rPP, 45.0 wt% RWF, 3.9 wt% MAPP, 0.1 wt% UV stabilizer, and 1.0 wt% Lubricant.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volumes 368-370)
• Pages: 785-790
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.368-370.785
• Online since: August 2013
• Authors: Chatree Homkhiew, Thanate Ratanawilai, Wiriya Thongruang
• Keywords: Hardness, Mixture Experimental Design, Rubberwood Flour, Wood Plastic Composite (WPC)

References

[1] A. Ashori and S. Sheshmani: Bioresour Technol Vol. 101 (2010), pp.4717-4720.

[2] S. K. Najafi, E. Hamidinia and M. Tajvidi: J Appl Polym Sci Vol. 100 (2006), pp.3641-3645.

DOI: 10.1002/app.23159

[3] C. Homkhiew, T. Ratanawilai and W. Thongruang: J Thermoplast Compos Mater, Epub ahead of print 14 February 2013. DOI: 10. 1177/0892705712475019.

[4] Z. A. Khan, S. Kamaruddin and A. N. Siddiquee: Mater Design Vol. 31 (2010), pp.2925-2931.

[5] T. Ratanawilai, N. Thanawattanasirikul and C. Homkhiew: Sci Asia Vol. 38 (2012), pp.289-294.

[6] K. B. Adhikary, S. Pang and M. P. Staiger: Compos Part B Eng Vol. 39 (2008), pp.807-815.

[7] B. Kord: World Appl Sci J Vol. 12 (2011), pp.1632-1634.

[8] M. S. Jang, J. E. Park and H. Y. Park: Food Sci Biotechnol Vol. 20 (2011), pp.409-417.

[9] Y. B. Khosrowshahi and A. Salem: Inter J Appl Ceramic Technol Vol. 8 (2011), pp.1334-1343.

[10] R. C. S. John: J Quali Technol Vol. 16 (1984), pp.81-96.

[11] D. C. Montgomery: Design and analysis of experiments, 7 ed: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., (2009).

[12] M. Amini, H. Younesi, N. Bahramifar, A. A. Z. Lorestani and F. Ghorbani: J Hazard Mater Vol. 154 (2008), pp.694-702.

[13] R. H. Myers: Response surface methodology, 3 ed: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., (2009).

[14] I. Eren and F. Kaymak-Ertekin: J Food Eng Vol. 79 (2007), pp.344-352.

[15] M. R. Rahman, M. M. Huque, M. N. Islam and M. Hasan: Compos Part A-Appl S Vol. 39 (2008), pp.1739-1747.

[16] M. R. Rahman, M. M. Huque, M. N. Islam and M. Hasan: Compos Part A-Appl S Vol. 40 (2009), pp.511-517.