Jutarat Prachayawarakorn and Niracha Yaembunying

pp. 343 - 352

Abstract

This research concerned with the use of rice husk (Oryza sativa) as a filler for polypropylene and its
recycle ability. Rice husk (200 mesh and 40% by weight) and polypropylene were compounded in a twinscrew extruder and injection moulding technique was applied in order to obtain testing specimens. It was
found that tensile, flexural and impact properties as well as % water absorption of the rice husk-filled polypropylene were only slightly dropped upon recycling process, presenting the ability of the rice husk-filledpolypropylene samples to recycle. The increase in melt flow index of the samples was also obtained. In
addition, SEM micrographs revealed the reduction of rice husk particle size by the recycling process. Moreover, FTIR spectroscopy and TGA technique were performed for characterizing the filled specimens.

Keywords

• rice husk
• polypropylene
• mechanical properties
• reuse