Thermal Aging Effect on the Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Polypropylene/Virgin Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber/Sago composites

Abstract

This work investigates the effect of thermal aging on mechanical and morphological properties of polypropylene (PP)/ virgin acrylonitrile butadiene rubber (NBRv)/sago (Sago) composites. PP/NBR matrices at different weight fraction of 100/0, 70/30 and 40/60 with fix ratio of sago, were prepared by using a heated-two roll mill at 180 °C. For thermal aging test, dumbbell specimens were conditioned in an oven at 70 °C until 45 days. Mechanical and morphological properties of aged and unaged specimens were carried out by using Universal Testing Machine (UTM) and Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), respectively. The results indicate that tensile strength and Young’s modulus of aging specimens were optimized at day 15th. A better growing surface was observed after aging process showing an enhancement interfacial adhesion between the sago starch fibres and PP/NBRv matrices.