Effect of γ-Aminopropyltriethoxy Silane (γ -APS) Coupling Agent on Mechanical and Morphological Properties of polymer composites: High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)/ Acrylonitrile Butadiene Rubber (NBR)/ Palm Pressed Fibre (PPF)

In automotive industries, natural fibre reinforced polymer useuses to manufactured automobile interior part. Silane can improve adhesion between the natural fibres and polymer matrices besides creating a chemical bridge between the reinforcement and matrix. The fabrications of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE)/Acrylonitrile-butadiene rubber (NBR)/ Palm-Pressed Fibre (PPF) composite were investigated. The effect of γ-Aminopropyltriethoxy Silane (APS) as a coupling agent on the properties of HDPE/ NBR/ PPF composite was studied. The composites were melted and mixed using a heated two-roll mill at 180oC and a speed of 15rpm with six different loadings (100/0/10, 80/20/10, 70/30/10, 60/40/10, 50/50/10, and 40/60/10). The effects of γ-APS silane on mechanical, and morphological properties were examined using a universal tensile machine (UTM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. Tensile strength and Young’s modulus of HDPE/ NBR/ PPF composites decrease with increasing of NBR loading, whilst increasing the elongation at break. However, treated composites have resulted in 3% to 29%, and 9% to 19%, higher in tensile strength and Young’s modulus compared to untreated composites. This was due to the better adhesion between HDPE/ NBR matrices and PPF filler with the presence of silanol moieties. From the morphological study, the micrograph of treated composites has proved the well-bonded and good attachment of PPF filler with HDPE/ NBR matrices which resulted in better tensile strength to the HDPE/ NBR/ PPF composites.