Thermal and mechanical characterization of polypropylene/eggshell biocomposites

Abstract

This study extends a work started on the new bio-composite materials; polymer/eggshell composites. Polypropylene/chicken eggshell composites were chosen and prepared via melt extrusion. The mechanical and thermal behavior of composites containing 10–40 wt% of untreated and strearic acid-treated eggshell were studied. The results show improvements in tensile modulus of composites while the values of tensile strength, strain at break, and impact strength decrease compared to that of neat polypropylene. The crystallization temperature, T_c, is clearly increased by incorporating 10 wt.% eggshell into polypropylene while a margin effect on the degree of crystallinity is seen. It can be concluded that composites need to be further studied and modified for possible use of eggshell as filler without scarifying the mechanical properties of the neat polymer matrix.