Malaysian Journal of Analytical Sciences Vol 18 No 2 (2014): 360 – 367

 

 

 

RHEOLOGICAL AND THERMAL BEHAVIOR OF POLYPROPYLENE-KAOLIN COMPOSITES

 

(Reologi dan Sifat Thermal Komposit Polipropilena-Kaolin)

 

Saw Lip Teng, Nor Azura Abdul Rahim, Du Ngoc Uy Lan*

 

School of Materials Engineering,

Universiti Malaysia Perlis (UniMAP), Kompleks Pengajian Jejawi, Jejawi 2, 02600 Arau, Perlis, Malaysia

 

*Corresponding author: uylan@unimap.edu.my

 

 

Abstract

Kaolin’s effect on rheological behaviour of polypropylene-kaolin composites was investigated. The research found that not only the kaolin content influence the rheological behaviour but also the compounding using internal mixer and twin screw extruder. In details, viscosity and shear stress increased with addition of kaolin content. These characteristics also exhibited higher in polypropylene-kaolin composite suspensions compounded using twin screw extruder than using internal mixer. Chain scission was assumed to occur and affect the melt properties. Further justification characterized by Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC) showed that the effect of kaolin and loading content were more evident on the onset melting temperature and crystallinity. Besides, due to the different cooling operation in both processes, the effect of compounding on melting characteristic was conspicuous.

 

Keywords: Polypropylene-kaolin composite, twin screw extruder, brabender internal mixer, melt rheology, capillary rheometer, and MFI.

 

Abstrak

Kesanan kaolin terhadap tingkahlaku rheologi komposit polipropilena-kaolin telah dikaji. Kajian ini mendapati bahawa bukan sahaja kandungan kaolin yang mempengaruhi tingkahlaku reologi tetapi juga pengkompaunan yang menggunakan mesin pencampur dalaman dan skru extruder berkembar. Secara terperinci, kelikatan dan tegasan ricih telah meningkat dengan penambahan kandungan kaolin. Ciri-ciri ini juga menunjukkan suspensi polipropilena-kaolin komposit yang dikompaunkan oleh skru extruder berkembar adalah lebih tinggi daripada menggunakan mesin pencampur dalaman. Kepisahan rantaian diandaikan terlaku dan menjejaskan sifat-sifat leburan. Justifikasi selanjutnya dicirikan oleh kalorimetri pengimbas pembezaan (DSC) menunjukkan bahawa kesan kaolin dan kandungan terbukti pada peleburan suhu awal dan penghabluran. Selain itu, akibat daripada operasi penyejukan yang berbeza dalam kedua-dua proses, kesan pengkompaunan pada sifat keleburan adalah senang dilihat.

 

Kata kunci: Komposit Polipropilena-Kaolin, Skru Extruder Berkembar, Mesin Pencampur Brabender, Rheologi Keleburan, Kapilari Reometer, dan MFI.

 

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