Tensile properties of bottom ash filled polypropylene composites / Nurfazlya Rozlan

Coal Bottom Ash (CBA) are commonly recycled for usage in the construction industry. The main purpose of this research work is to study an alternative application for CBA by using CBA as a filler in Polypropylene (PP) forming CBA-PP composite and testing its tensile properties. This research also aims to identify optimum temperatures at each zone in an injection molding machine (IMM). This IMM used to produce those composites (or known as plastic molding). The composite of CBA-PP undergo the tensile test with increasing content of CBA of 0% (PP100), 5% (CBA5PP) and 10% (CBA10PP) by using Universal Testing Machine (UTM). At least, 5 standard plastic molding for each composites number produced as to get the average results of tensile properties which then, the tensile analysis is based on the stress vs strain graph plotted. The optimum temperature zones set up in IMM are 200, 210, 215, 215 and 240oC for zones 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 respectively were identified. The other parameters are at fixed value including the injection pressure (60 bar), mold temperature (33oC) and the cycle time is 67.35 seconds. For tensile properties, the max stress (MPa) of PP100, CBA5PP and CBA10PP composites are 315.28, 292.26 and 282.00 MPa respectively while the elongation at break (%) are 26.64, 21.67 and 20.88% for PP100, CBA5PP and CBA10PP composites respectively. The analysis of tensile properties showed that the plastic deformation decreases, fracture point of strain axis is shorter, necking region is shorter as CBA content increased. The yield stress, yield percent, max stress and elongation at break percent were decreasing as the CBA content increased. This means that the specimen with increasing CBA content will slightly decrease in the plastic deforms characteristics but still in acceptable range. The characteristic of the plastic molding with increasing CBA content in the composites can be used in plastic for packaging, stationery, loudspeakers, reusable container or textile industry. This shows that CBA can be recycled and not disposed the ashes at landfill anymore which leads to increasing pollution to surrounding also CBA can be used in plastic industry other than construction industry.