Effect of Hybrid Fillers of Bamboo Fiber and Commercial Glass Fiber on High Density Polyethylene Matrix

Abstract

The focus of this research work is to study the effect of hybrid fillers of bamboo fiber and commercial glass fiber on high density polyethylene (HDPE) matrix without interfacial coupling agent. The hybrid composite was formed through melt blending method using two-roll mixing mill at temperature of 160 ^oC and was shaped using compression molding machine. The highest value of Tensile Modulus at break and Hardness were obtained at hybrid ratio of 70 % of HDPE/ 15 % bamboo/ 15 % glass particles (H/B₁₅/G₁₅). However, the inclusion of the hybrid fillers did not show any significant difference in Impact strength from the molded blank HDPE samples (H/B_0/G₀) while the percentage water absorbed by the samples predominantly decreased as the content of the commercial glass filler was increase in the HDPE matrix.