THE EFFECT OF COMPATIBILIZER ON THE TENSILE PROPERTIES AND MORPHOLOGY OF NYLON FIBER REINFORCED THERMOPLASTIC NATURAL RUBBER COMPOSITES

Abstract

In this study the tensile properties such as tensile strength, modulus and strain and fracture surface morphology of Thermoplastic Natural Rubber (TPNR) composites reinforced with different volume fraction (vol%) of Nylon textile fibers (PA6) compositions were investigated. The composite was melt blending using an internal mixer and their properties were analyzed. The TPNR was prepared from blending of high-density polyethylene, natural rubber, and liquid natural rubber (HDPE/NR/LNR) at the ratio of 50:40:10. This study focuses on the effect of fiber loading and compatibilizer, maleic anhydride-grafted polyethylene (MAPE) on the tensile and morphological properties of the TPNR-composites. Incorporation of fiber loading from 0 to 20 vol.% in TPNR resulted in the increasing of tensile strength and young’s modulus of the composites. The addition of MAPE in the composites of 20 vol% fibers increased the modulus up to 26% as compared to the composite without compatibilizer. Scanning electron micrograph of fracture surfaced reveal there were good adhesion between the fibers and the polymer matrix of TPNR.