Examining the Mechanical Characteristics of Sammaz-14 variety Maize Cob Nanofiber Reinforced in LDPE/LD-g-MAH/Org-MMT Nanocomposites

Abstract

In this research, maize cob nanofiber of sammaz-14 variety which were
extracted via the chemo-mechanical method (alkaline treatment and ball
milling) are confirmed to be in nanoscale within the range of 1-100 nm by
Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Field Emission Scanning Electron
Microscope (FESEM). They were used as reinforcing/functional filler with
2% organically modified montmorillonite (Org-MMT) as an additive and 3 %
(low-density polyethylene grafted maleic anhydride) LD-g-MAH as
compatibilizer in low density polyethylene (LDPE) to fabricate
nanocomposites using injection moulding technique. Mechanical properties
such as (Tensile strength, modulus, specific strength, Flexural strength,
hardness, elongation and impact strength). Tensile strength increased up to
1.3 % at 2 % and modulus/ stiffness increased up to 200 % and 218 % at 5
% filler loading for maize cob nanofibre (MC-NF) and Nanoclay (Org-MMT)
respectively. Strength-to-weight- ratio increase with increases in MC-NF and
decreases with increase in nanoclay. Flexural strength and hardness also
increase with increase in filler loading. However, steady decrease was
observed for elongation at break and impact strength with an increase in
filler loading.