Effect of \(\gamma\)-Aminopropyltriethoxy Silane (\(\gamma\) -APS) Coupling Agent on Mechanical and Morphological Properties of polymer composites: High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)/ Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)/ Palm Pressed Fibre (PPF)

Abstract

In automotive industries, natural fibre reinforced polymer useuses to manufactured automobile interior part. Silane can improve adhesion between the natural fibres and polymer matrices besides creating a chemical bridge between the reinforcement and matrix. The fabrications of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)/Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR)/ Palm-Pressed Fibre (PPF) composite were investigated. The effect of \(\gamma\)-Aminopropyltriethoxy Silane (APS) as a coupling agent on the properties of HDPE/ NBR/ PPF composite was studied. The composites were melted and mixed using a heated two-roll mill at 180^oC and a speed of 15rpm with six different loadings (100/0/10, 80/20/10, 70/30/10, 60/40/10, 50/50/10, and 40/60/10). The effects of \(\gamma\)-APS silane on mechanical, and morphological properties were examined using a universal tensile machine (UTM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Tensile strength and Young’s modulus of HDPE/ NBR/ PPF composites decrease with increasing of NBR loading, whilst increasing the elongation at break. However, treated composites have resulted in 3% to 29%, and 9% to 19%, higher in tensile strength and Young’s modulus compared to untreated composites. This was due to the better adhesion between HDPE/ NBR matrices and PPF filler with the presence of silanol moieties. From the morphological study, the micrograph of treated composites has proved the well-bonded and good attachment of PPF filler with HDPE/ NBR matrices which resulted in better tensile strength to the HDPE/ NBR/ PPF composites.