Mechanical and Morphological Properties of Kenaf Cellulose/LDPE Biocomposites

The possibility of using cellulose from the cell walls of kenaf, an annual herbaceous crop, for the production of bicomposites was investigated in this study. The composites were prepared using LDPE, as a matrix, the extracted cellulose, as filler and PEG as a plasticizer. The characterization of biocomposites was then performed with optimized thermo-mechanical properties and propensity to environmental degradation. This paper focuses only on the mechanical properties including tensile strength, flexural and Izod impact tests. The results showed that the mechanical properties of the composites was decreased slightly as the cellulose content increased from 0 to 50 wt % in the biocomposite formulation. It is interesting to note that in all treatments, the mechanical behavior of biocomposites retained in an acceptable level of strength. These findings were confirmed by the SEM study. Consequently, the suitable bicomposite material for food packaging was successfully obtained. Abbreviations: LDPE, Low density polyethylene; UPM, University Putra Malaysia; SEM, scanning electron microscopy; PEG, polyethylene glycol; PE, polyethylene; PP, Polypropylene; Ts, tensile strength; Is, impact strength; Fs, flexural strength; OH, hydroxyl