Short glass fibers commercial polypropylene

Comparing the Mori-Tanaka s average strain model with experimental data on commercial short glass fiber filled polypropylene composites. 

Lightweight reinforced thermoplastics materials with great strength and stiffness are needed in a number of so-called technical applications. Therefore short glass fibers are used to stiffen thermoplastics, for instance polypropylene, polyamides and also more technical polymers such as polybutylene terephthalate. Thermoplastic processors do not compound themselves their materials and consequently there is quite a large choice of ready-to-be-processed SGF reinforced thermoplastic composites. Table 7.6 gives the average properties of typical commercial PP-SGF composites, as compiled from manufacturers data sheets (when available). 

Mechanical properties of commercial polypropylene-short glass fibers composites squares are averaged suppliers data the vertical bars indicate the standard deviations shaded diamonds are data from one single manufacturer the curves were calculated with the modified Guth and Gold equation, using an anisometry factor equal to 4.5. 

A traditional chemical extraction process that uses an alkaline sodium hydroxide solution has also been applied to the same wooden material. Fibers extracted by the two methods have been used as reinforcement for the two commercial polypropylenes the conventional isotactic polypropylene, and maleic anhydride functionalized isotactic polypropylene (iPPMA). The composites have also been subjected to a water absorption treatment. To assess the reinforcement effect of fibers, composite characterization techniques and determination of mechanical properties have been performed with particular attention to the fiber-matrix interfacial characteristic. The results have been compared with those of short glass reinforced polypropylene composites. 

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