BIOCOMPOSITE WITH POLYPROPYLENE AND ALFA FIBERS: STRUCTURE/ PROPERTIES RELATIONSHIP

We present a study on the development of thermoplastic bio-composites reinforced by Alfa fibers (stepa tenassicma). We applied different surface treatments on obtained fibers, to promote their adherence to the polypropylene matrix. The mixture of the fibers and the matrix was extruded and pelletized according to a defined operating mode. We conducted a detailed study for the definition and optimization of injection molding process's industrial conditions of the composites. The tests carried out on the specimens showed that the mechanical and viscoelastic properties of these composites display a marked improvement depending on surface treatments and the rate of Alfa fibers and injection parameters. Other microscopic features were used to analyze the flowing behavior of Alfa fibers along a injected part, for fiber lengths greater than 4.5 mm, we highlighted the phenomena of deformation and coalescence and aggregation of the fibers according to the injection process parameters.