Recycled polypropylene/peanut shell powder (RPP/PSP) composites: Property comparison before and after electron beam irradiation

This recent study investigates the properties of recycled polypropylene (RPP)/peanut shell powder (PSP) composites under the effect of electron beam (EB) irradiation. RPP/PSP composites were prepared by melt‐mixing and compression molding with 0 to 40 wt% of PSP loading. The fabricated composites were then irradiated using 2.0 MeV EB accelerator at a fixed dose of 40 kGy. The properties of nonirradiated and irradiated composites were compared and characterized by gel content, tensile properties, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and water absorption behavior. The results in tensile strength and tensile modulus of irradiated RPP/PSP composites show an increment while decrement in elongation at break. The gel content analysis result shows an increase upon irradiation indicated that the irradiation induced crosslinking between the components. The thermal stability of irradiated composites was also improved compared to nonirradiated composites. The enhanced interfacial adhesion and crosslinking between components was evidenced by SEM morphology. POLYM. COMPOS., 39:3048–3056, 2018. © 2017 Society of Plastics Engineers