BAMBOO FIBER-REINFORCED POLYPROPYLENE COMPOSITES - A STUDY OF THE MECHANICAL-PROPERTIES

A new type of bamboo fiber-reinforced polypropylene (PP) composite was prepared and its mechanical properties were tested. To enhance the ad hesion between the bamboo fiber and the polypropylene matrix, maleic a nhydride-grafted polypropylene (MAPP) was prepared and used as a compa tibilizer for the composite. The maleic anhydride content of the MAPP was 0.5 wt %. It was found that with 24 wt % of such MAPP being used i n the composite formulation, the mechanical properties of the composit e such as the tensile modulus, the tensile strength, and the impact st rength all increased significantly. The new composite has a tensile st rength of 32-36 MPa and a tensile modulus of 5-6 GPa. Compared to the commercially available wood pulp board, the new material is lighter, w ater-resistant, cheaper, and more importantly has a tensile strength t hat is more than three times higher than that of the commercial produc t. (C) 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.