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Production and Characterization of High Density Polyethylene Reinforced by Eucalyptus Capsule Fibers

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Abstract

In this work, Eucalyptus Capsule Fibers (ECF) are proposed as a new natural fiber reinforcement to produce bio-composites due to their biological origin, specific smell and color. High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is used as the matrix to compare three reinforcement types, raw ECF, alkali treated ECF, and ECF treated with PE-graft-maleic anhydride (PE-g-MA) as a coupling agent at three concentrations (5 wt.%, 10 wt%, and 15 wt%). A complete set of characterization is performed including tension, torsion, hardness, Melt Flow Index (MFI), Attenuated Total Reflection Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), Contact Angle (CA), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Dynamic Mechanical Analysis (DMA). The results show that the best mechanical and rheological improvements are obtained by using the coupling agent with alkali treated fibers.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by MAScIR; Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research, MESRSFC and CNRST, Morocco Grant no. 1970/15. The authors would like to thank Mr. Mehdi Ait Dahi for his fruitful technical support and assistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Moroccan Foundation for Advanced Science, Innovation and Research (MAScIR), Institute of Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology (NANOTECH), Laboratory of Polymer Processing, Rabat, Morocco

    Wafa Ouarhim, Hamid Essabir, Rachid Bouhfid & Abou el kacem Qaiss

  2. Faculty of Science, Laboratory of Mechanic and Materials (LMM), Mohammed V-Rabat, University, Rabat, Morocco

    Wafa Ouarhim & Mohammed-Ouadi Bensalah

  3. Department of Chemical Engineering and CERMA, Université Laval, Quebec, G1V0A6, Canada

    Denis Rodrigue

Authors
  1. Wafa Ouarhim
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  2. Mohammed-Ouadi Bensalah
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  3. Denis Rodrigue
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  4. Hamid Essabir
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  5. Rachid Bouhfid
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  6. Abou el kacem Qaiss
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Correspondence to Hamid Essabir.

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Ouarhim, W., Bensalah, MO., Rodrigue, D. et al. Production and Characterization of High Density Polyethylene Reinforced by Eucalyptus Capsule Fibers. J Bionic Eng 15, 558–566 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-018-0046-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s42235-018-0046-4

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