Thermosoftening Plastics

were heated at °C/min from 0 to 200°C. The crystallization temperatures (Tc) and melting temperatures (Tm) were determined from cooling and second heating scans. The melting enthalpies values were normalized according to the proportion of the components in the samples. The crystallinity (χc) was determined from the Eq. (13):

<sup>m</sup> <sup>∗</sup> <sup>1</sup>�wFiber ½ � ð Þ <sup>∗</sup> <sup>100</sup>

where wFiber is the CHF or CCF fiber mass fraction, ΔH is the melting enthalpy

Scanning electronic microscopy (SEM) of the biocomposites was carried out on the cryogenic fracture surfaces of the specimens using a Quanta FEG 250 microscope operating at a voltage of 10 kV. The samples were previously sputter coated with gold to increase their electric conductivity. Determinations were performed in

Flexural and impact properties of the materials were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA), and the Tukey's test was applied at the 0.05 level of significance. All statistical analyses were performed using Minitab Statistical Software

The environmental characterization of the materials was made through a cradle to gate Life Cycle Assessment based on the ISO 14041 parameters. The only indicator used for this evaluation was the carbon footprint, and the information for the emission factors was taken from secondary information found in literature.

The proximate analysis of CCF and CHF is presented in Table 6. Comparing the obtained values, it is observed that the fiber with the highest moisture content is the

(MJ/Kg)

References

%M<sup>105</sup> %A %VM %FC SCP

CHF 11.61 � 0.08 1.65 � 0.05 83.08 � 0.08 3.66 15.93 Obtained values

CCF 12.15 � 0.11 3.57 � 0.08 73.07 � 0.04 11.21 18.41 Obtained values

9.22 � 25.3 1.71 � 2.5 68.2 � 81.87 16.42 � 18.5 19.8 � 21.41 [35–37]

9.65 � 10.1 3.2 � 5.56 69.35 � 75.5 11.2 � 15.44 14.67 -18.74 [38]

<sup>m</sup> is the specific enthalpy of melting for 100% crystalline PP.

(13)

χ

This value was reported in literature as 293 J/g [34].

different areas of the SEM micrograph.

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.81635

Release 12 (Pennsylvania, United States).

2.5 Environmental characterization of the materials

of the sample, and ΔH<sup>0</sup>

2.4.5 Statistical analysis

3. Results and discussion

Proximate analysis of the natural fibers.

Natural fiber

Table 6.

95

3.1 Natural fibers characterization

2.4.4 Morphology

<sup>c</sup> <sup>¼</sup> <sup>Δ</sup>Hm ΔH0

Recycled Polypropylene-Coffee Husk and Coir Coconut Biocomposites: Morphological…

Figure 2. Assembly used for flexural test (according to ASTM D790).

Figure 3. Pendulum type impact test machine used for the notched IZOD impact measurements.

The tests were carried out on bars of rectangular cross section at 23°C and at a rate of crosshead motion between 1.34 and 1.44 mm/min. This rate was determined based on the dimensions of the specimens. Also, the distance between the supports was 50 mm and the tests were conducted up to 5% strain. All the results were taken as the average value of five samples.
