Fatigue behavior of pure polypropylene and recycled polypropylene reinforced with short glass fiber

Abstract

In this study, the fatigue behavior of recycled polypropylene reinforced with short glass fiber with different weight fractions (5 wt%, 10 wt%, 20 wt%, and 30 wt%) was compared to pure polypropylene under dry and wet conditions. The specimens were manufactured using injection molding process. The results show that addition of short glass fiber to recycled polypropylene resulted in increasing water uptake compared to pure polypropylene. However, flexural fatigue strength of recycled polypropylene reinforced with short glass fiber with 10 wt%, 20 wt%, and 30 wt% exhibits higher relative fatigue strength than pure polypropylene under dry and wet conditions. Fatigue strength increases with the increase in fiber contents increased in recycled polypropylene matrix.