MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF BAGASSE/SWEET POTATO PEEL-FILLED LDPE COMPOSITES

In the present study, bagasse and sweet potato peel reinforced polyethylene composites were compounded using an internal mixer with the filler content varying from 10% to 50% by weight of the composites. Three sets of composites were made with bagasse, sweet potato peel and a hybrid of bagasse and sweet potato peel respectively. Mechanical properties of the composites were investigated with respect to the filler content of the various polymer composites and compared to the unfilled polyethylene which acts as the control sample. There was obvious improvement of some mechanical properties due to the reinforcing ability of the fillers. The elastic deformation characteristics of the composites were investigated using different methods for determining load-elongation behavior of composites. The SPP-filled composites showed a better trend of behavior which is attributed to a better interfacial interaction. The SEM micrographs confirmed this by showing a significantly higher interfacial interaction between the components of the SPP-filled composites as compared to the bagasse-filled and the hybrid composites. On the basis of filler loading, 40% filler content gave the optimum set of mechanical properties for the composites produced.