Sisal Fiber Reinforced and Cenosphere Hybridized Polypropylene‐SEBS Composite: An Insight into Crystallographic, Dynamic Mechanical and Rheological Behavior

Abstract

AbstractThe current study attempts to explore the crystallographic, rheological and, dynamic mechanical properties of the submicron‐treated cenosphere (t‐ CSF) particles and sisal fiber (SF) reinforced Styrene‐(Ethylene‐Butylene)‐Styrene (SEBS) toughened PP hybrid composites. Moreover, the composites reinforced with 25 wt.% of SF and 5 wt.% of CSF (Treated 6 wt.% cetrimonium bromide (CTAB)) demonstrated the most significant storage modulus (E′), loss modulus (E”), and lowest damping (tan δ) factor throughout the temperature range. Likewise, X‐ray diffraction techniques were used to assess the samples’ crystallographic properties. The composites reported an enhanced β phase (responsible for high impact strength and reduced α phase of the base matrix compared to pristine PP. Likewise, all the composites’ rheological properties showed an improved complex viscosity (η*) compared to the BM but lower than that of the pristine PP. Overall processing parameters of the BM and composites were improved due to the decrement in the η* of all the composites. The rheological properties confirmed the easy processing of the fabricated composites due to the improved flowability. The storage (G′) and loss (G”) modulus of all the composites were desirably higher than that of the BM.