Rice Husk/High Density Polyethylene Composites: Compatibility Effect of Chemical Treatment of Rice Husk on Mechanical Properties

The paper reports on the effects of chemical treatments of rice husk flour on mechanical properties of rice husk flour / high density polyethylene composites. Dried rice husk flour was subjected to chemical treatment with acetic acid and was then mixed with powdered high density polyethylene at ratio of 60%. After milling samples of composites were made by injection moulding. The mechanical properties of treated rice husk flour / high density polyethylene composites were compared to untreated composite and a composite that included a PE-g-MA coupling agent (MAPE) that were produced by the same method. Dynamic mechanical-thermal analysis (DMTA) of specimens in the range of -50 to +150 ◦C was taken and tan δ was measured. FT-IR spectra of chemical treatments of rice flour husks were also investigated to see the extent of changes in the functional groups being studied. Results of tests showed that all of the studied properties in the composites including treated rice husk flour with acetic acid were improved. Also, results of FT-IR indicated that the chemical treatment of rice husk led to a change of OH group absorbance, and a peak in the region related to the functional group C=O.