Polypropylene composites based on lignocellulosic fillers: How the filler morphology affects the composite properties

• Wood and olive stone flours reinforced polypropylene composites were prepared by injection molding.
• The mechanical properties were investigated and correlated with the filler morphology.
• The evolution of the mechanical properties after water absorption was studied.
• The aspect ratio was shown to greatly affect the strength and the stiffness of the composites.

In this research, composite materials were made from wood flour (WF) or olive stone flour (OSF) as reinforcement, polypropylene (PP) as polymer matrix, and maleated polypropylene (MAPP) as coupling agent, by using injection molding. The effects of the filler loading and coupling agent on the physical properties of the composites, in terms of tensile and impact strength, water absorption and wear resistance were studied. The macromechanical properties were explained by the morphological features of the reinforcements. Composites containing coupling agents exhibited the best mechanical properties, and reduced the negative impacts of water absorption. The difference in the morphology of the two lignocellulosic fillers was found to be a key factor controlling the properties of the composites and the evolution of their properties against water absorption.

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