THE EFFECT OF ALKALI TREATMENT ON THE MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF DATE SEED PARTICULATES WASTE POLYPROPYLENE FILLED COMPOSITES

Authors

  • N. Lawal Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
  • A. Danladi Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
  • B. Dauda Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
  • A. Kogo Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
  • M.A. Baba Department of Polymer and Textile Engineering, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria,
  • U. Busuguma Ramat Polytechnic, Maiduguri,

Abstract

Date seeds collected as waste were reduced to 63 µm particles and treated with NaOH (aq) at 1, 3, 5, 7 and 10 %. The extent of chemical modification was assessed using FTIR analysis. The waste polypropylene (wPP)/date seed particles (DSP) composites filled with untreated and treated particles at 20 % filler loadings were fabricated using compounding and compression moulding techniques by means of two rolls mill. Tensile, flexural, impact tests and hardness (HV) were conducted and evaluated. Subsequently, a morphological study of the fractured surface of the composites was achieved using SEM. The application of alkali treatment enhanced various properties of the composites at the optimal concentration of 10 % w/v. Specifically, the tensile strength, flexural strength, elongation at break, impact strength, and hardness were improved, resulting in values of 28.86 MPa, 140 MPa, 172.5 %, 0.92 J/m², and 23.8 Hv, respectively. While tensile and flexural moduli showed a decrease with increasing alkali concentration. The SEM of the fractured surface of the treated composite revealed a better dispersion of filler particles within the matrix with no cluster seen compared to the untreated.

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Published

2023-10-06

Issue

Vol. 18 No. 3 (2023)

Section

ARTICLES