Abstract
Rice husk, which is usually regarded as an agricultural waste, when burnt produces a silica rich ash known as white rice husk ash (WRHA). This low cost and environmental friendly filler derived from a renewable source has been incorporated into an elastomer rich ethylene/propylene/diene terpolymer (EPDM)-polypropylene (PP) matrix to prepare thermoplastic elastomer composites, by melt mixing in a Brabender plasticorder. Elastomer components of the composites were dynamically cured in the presence of WRHA. Mechanical properties and recyclability of these composites were investigated with reference to the dynamic curing and curing agent concentration. The processability of the composites was also investigated using Brabender torque as the indicator. It was observed that WRHA does not interrupt the dynamic curing process and mechanical properties are substantially enhanced with increased curing agent concentration up to an optimum concentration. It was found that composites cured at low curing agent concentration are recyclable. An increase in the concentration of curing agent increases the Brabender stabilisation torque indicating an increase in crosslink density (decrease in processability). Corresponding composites filled with a commercial grade of silica were also prepared and their mechanical properties and recyclability were compared with WRHA filled composites. Results showed that WRHA filled composites exhibit properties comparable to the silica filled grades,indicating the potential of WRHA as an alternative filler for thermoplastic elastomer composites. Possibly, large scale use of WRHA could help alleviate the environmental issue of disposal of the waste rice husks.
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