Effects of Filler Content and Surface Treatment on Drop-Weight Dart Impact Fracture Behaviour of Glass Bead-Filled Polypropylene Binary Composites

Abstract

The effects of A-glass bead content and its surface treatment on the drop-weight dart impact fracture behaviour of the filled polypropylene (PP) binary composites at room temperature have been investigated. For the uncoated filler filled system (PP/3000U), the maximum impact force (Fmax) and the crack propagation energy (Epc) vary gently with the volume fraction (of); while for the system filled with coated fillers with silane coupling agent (PP/3000), Fmax and EP, values reach minimum at around Of = 15%. The impact fracture energy (Ed C) and crack initiation energy (Eic) for both the composites increase with increasing Of when Of is greater than 15%. The influence of the filler surface treatment on Ed C and Ej, of the composites is irregular. Furthermore, the impact fracture morphology of the specimens has been observed and analyzed.