Mechanical and thermal characterization of grafted PP-NCC nanocomposites

This study reveals the enhancement of mechanical and thermal properties of maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MA) with the addition of nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC). A nanocomposite was manufactured by blending various percentages of PP, MA, and NCC nanoparticles by means of a twin-screw extruder. The influence of varying the percentages of NCC on the mechanical and thermal behavior of the nanocomposite was studied by performing three-point bending, nanoindentation, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy tests. The novelty of this study stems on the NCC nanoparticles and their ability to enhance the mechanical and thermal properties of PP. Three-point bending and nanoindentation tests revealed improvement in the mechanical properties in terms of strength, modulus, and hardness of the PP-g-MA nanocomposites as the addition of NCC increased. SEM showed homogeneity between the mixtures which proved the presence of interfacial adhesion between the PP-g-MA incorporated with NCC nanoparticles that was confirmed by the FTIR results. DSC and TGA measurements showed that the thermal stability of the nanocomposites was not compromised due to the addition of the coupling agent and reinforced nanoparticles.