Polypropylene Composites with Biochars from Miscanthus and Tomato Biomass – Part I: Thermal and Structural Properties

Abstract

ABSTRACTA study of biochar/polypropylene composites has been conducted to describe the influence of biochars on the supermolecular structure of PP. The first stage of the work described the influence of carbonization on the properties of carbon fillers (tomato and miscanthus). The biochar was added to the polymer matrix, and the composite samples were manufactured by extrusion and injection molding. The influence of the fillers was investigated using WAXS, hot-stage optical microscopy, PLM microscopy, FTIR and ASTM designation. There were showed the strong influence of the biochar fillers on the properties of polypropylene matrix in composite materials. Obtained composites were characterized by the satisfying properties.

Keywords

• Isotactic polypropylene (iPP)
• polymer composites
• beta form of iPP
• biomass
• carbonization
• biochar