Impact Strength and Thermal Degradation of Waste Polypropylene (wPP)/Oil Palm Empty Fruit Bunch (OPEFB) Composites: Effect of Maleic Anhydride -g-polypropylene (MAPP) Addition

The effect of maleic anhydride-g-polypropylene (MAPP) addition on the impact strength and thermal degradation of waste polypropylene (wPP) / oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) composites was investigated. Several contents of MAPP viz. 2, 4, 6, 8 weight percent (wt%) were prepared. Corresponding wPP/OPEFB composite without MAPP addition was also made for comparison. The OPEFB composition was fixed at 30 wt%, while wPP was 70 wt% and reduced correspondingly on the addition of MAPP. Composites were prepared in extruder with temperature of 190oC and followed with compression molded at the same temperature. Composites were evaluated using impact tester machine and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) to conform the impact strength and thermal degradation, respectively. Results indicated an improvement in impact strength was obtained on the addition of MAPP up to 8 wt%. The results were also confirmed that the incorporation of MAPP has increased degradation temperature of wPP/OPEFB composites.