Effect of nanoclay particles content on the mechanical properties of wood flour-polypropylene composites using dynamic mechanic thermal analysis

In this study، the effect of nanoclay particles content on the mechanical properties of wood flour-polypropylene composites was investigated using Dynamic Mechanic Thermal Analysis (DMTA). To meet this objective، wood flour was mixed with polypropylene at 60 % by weight fiber loading. The concentration was varied as 0، 3 and 5 per hundred compounds (phc) for nanoclay. The amount of coupling agent (PP-g-MA) was fixed at 2 phc for all formulations. The samples were made by melt compounding and injection molding. Static mechanical tests including bending and tensile were performed. DMTA test in the range of -60 to 120 0C with 5 0C/min temperature rate and 1 Hz frequency was done. The morphology of the nanocomposites has been examined by using x-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Results indicated that the mechanical strength and storage modulus of samples increases with increase of nanoclay up to 3 phc and then decreases with 5 phc nanoclay addition. Also، the alpha and beta transition in samples transmitted to higher temperatures with addition of nanoclay. The morphological studies with XRD and TEM revealed that nanoclay distributed as intercalation structure in polymer matrix.