Effect of Microcrystalline Cellulose as a Filler on the Properties of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene/Thermoplastic Starch Blends
Nurnadia Farhana Che RAZALI, Mohamad Kahar Ab WAHAB
Abstract. This study investigates the influence of microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) as a filler on the mechanical and structural properties of linear low-density polyethylene (LLDPE)/thermoplastic starch (TPS) blends. MCC was incorporated at varying concentrations (3%-12%) into LLDPE/TPS (70/30) using an internal mixer. The resulting composites were evaluated for their tensile properties, fracture morphology, functional group interactions, and crystallinity using a universal tensile testing machine, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray diffraction (XRD), respectively. The findings indicate that MCC incorporation enhances mechanical performance at lower concentrations, but excessive loading results in reduced tensile strength due to filler agglomeration. The study provides insights into optimizing MCC content for biodegradable polymer composites.
Keywords
Thermoplastic Starch, Microcrystalline Cellulose, Crystallite Size
Published online 2025/06/01, 7 pages
Copyright © 2025 by the author(s)
Published under license by Materials Research Forum LLC., Millersville PA, USA
Citation: Nurnadia Farhana Che RAZALI, Mohamad Kahar Ab WAHAB, Effect of Microcrystalline Cellulose as a Filler on the Properties of Linear Low-Density Polyethylene/Thermoplastic Starch Blends, Materials Research Proceedings, Vol. 56, pp 79-85, 2025
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21741/9781644903636-8
The article was published as article 8 of the book Composite Materials
Content from this work may be used under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 license. Any further distribution of this work must maintain attribution to the author(s) and the title of the work, journal citation and DOI.
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