Eggshell membrane reinforced polypropylene biocomposite and its tactile assessment

Considering the better tactile performance (pleasantness) of different materials for example, leather, fur, feather, and so on, which are known to be the tribopositive materials, herein, the tribo-positive eggshell membrane (ESM) powders derived from waste eggshell were melt-mixed with polypropylene (PP) to prepare a low-cost ESM/PP biocomposite of enhanced tactile property. In this regard, in-plane coefficient of friction (COF) has been examined and found a decreasing trend with increasing the ESM content which may consider towards improving the pleasantness of the composite, and which is due to the increase of surface smoothness and adhesion property laid by incorporation of polar ESM within the nonpolar PP matrix. However, the decrease of COF was not spontaneous. Alternatively, the increase of tribopositive character of the composite due to addition of tribopositive ESM within the tribonegative PP, as investigated by fabricating a single electrode triboelectric nanogenerator (STENG)-like device made of the ESM/PP composite may be considered potential to realize the enhancement of touch-feeling performance. The triboelectric results showed well-correlation not only with the COF, but also with the thermal and mechanical properties of the composite. It is thus, prejudiced that triboelectric investigation can be used as a potential tool to realize/manage the touch-feeling properties of different products.