Synergistic effect of clay and polypropylene short fibers in epoxy based ternary composite hybrids

Abstract. Polypropylene short fiber (PP)-clay particulate-epoxy ternary composites were prepared by reinforcing PP short fiber and clay particles in the range of 0.1 phr to 0.7 phr into epoxy resin. Prepared hybrid composites were characterized for their mechanical, thermal and flame retardant properties. The obtained results indicated an increase in impact resistance, tensile strength, flexural strength and Young‟s modulus to an extent (up to 0.5 phr clay and 0.5 phr PP short fiber) and then decreases as the reinforcing phases are further increased. The thermal stability of these materials are found to increase up to 0.2 phr clay and 0.2 phr PP addition, beyond which it is decreased. Addition of clay is found to have the negative effect on epoxy-PP short fiber composites, which is evident from the comparison of mechanical and thermal properties of epoxy-0.5 phr PP short fiber composite and epoxy-0.5 phr PP short fiber-0.5 phr clay composite hybrid. UL-94 tests conducted on the composite hybrids have showed a reduction in the burning rate. Morphological observations indicated a greater fiber pull with the addition of clay. The performed tests in the present study indicated that materials under investigation have promising applications in construction, agriculture and decorative purposes.