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Title:	Preparation and characterization of bio-composites from Jatropha deoiled cake and medium density polyethylene
Authors:	Tarig Elshaarani Mohamed Ali (P47297)
Keywords:	Biodiesel fuels Jatropha Polyethylene Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia -- Dissertations Dissertations, Academic -- Malaysia
Issue Date:	12-Jul-2013
Description:	Jatropha deoiled Cake (JOC) is the major bio-product of the biodiesel industry. It is rich in proteins and fibers. Therefore, it has a great potential as a source of low-cost biofiller for making biodegradable composites. This research focuses on the performance of JOC as filler for Medium Density Polyethylene (MDPE). To produce the composites, the MDPE matrix and JOC filler were firstly melt compounded using Haake Rheometer. An adjustable temperature and mixing rate of 145 °C and 55 rpm were employed, before the resulted blends being hot pressed into sheets at 150 °C. Maleated polyethylene (MAPE) and Trimethylolpropane triacrylate (TMPTA) were used in different concentrations (1%, 3% and 5% wt%) as coupling agents to improve composites’ compatibility. For TMPTA blends, the ratio of MDPE: JOC was fixed to 50:50 (wt/wt %), the samples were then irradiated by using 3.0 MeV electron beam machine with doses varies from 25 kGy to 100 kGy. The physical, mechanical, thermal and morphological properties were studied. XRD and DSC have been used to examine the crystallinity and crystalline size of the resultant composites. The addition of 50 wt% JOC into the matrix reduced the tensile, flexural and impact strengths to 94%, 13% and 70% compared to the pure matrix where else, tensile and flexural moduli were increased to 16% and 30%. The poor dispersion of JOC in the matrix as well as weak interfacial adhesion between the hydrophilic cake and hydrophobic matrix are the main reasons of the poor mechanical properties of non-treated biocomposites; those reasons are confirmed by SEM analysis of specimens’ tensile fractured surface. Generally, the addition of MAPE or TMPTA into MDPE/JOC blends improved the mechanical properties, which indicates an enhancement in the interfacial interaction between JOC and PE system. The optimum conditions for coupling agents were found to be 3 wt% MAPE and 5 wt % TMPTA with 50 kGy radiation dose. Water adsorption is increased with the increases in the cake loading and immersion time and declined by imposing coupling agents in the composites. TGA thermographs of the composites indicated that the initial degradation temperature dropped with increasing JOC content in the blend; suggesting decrease in the thermal stability of MDPE/JOC blend. The thermal stability of the maleated composites is higher compared to both non-treated and TMPTA treated composites. DSC results of non-treated biocomposites showed no significant difference in the composites’ thermal behaviour by increasing JOC content; however the degree of crystallinity increased when MAPE is added. Meanwhile, the XRD results showed that the crystalline size is increased by cake incorporation and decreased with coupling agent addition. Based on DMTA loss modulus curves, non-treated composites exhibits tow Tg peaks, while treated composites showed another Tg higher than that measured for non-treated composites. It proves that composite miscibility is improved through treatment.,Master of Science,Certification of Master's / Doctoral Thesis" is not available"
Pages:	168
Call Number:	QK495.E9M833 2013 3 tesis
Publisher:	UKM, Bangi
Appears in Collections:	Faculty of Engineering and Built Environment / Fakulti Kejuruteraan dan Alam Bina

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