IIARD International Institute of Academic Research and Development

International Journal of Engineering and Modern Technology (IJEMT )

E-ISSN 2504-8848
P-ISSN 2695-2149
VOL. 10 NO. 10 2024
DOI: 10.56201/ijemt.v10.no10.2024.pg17.28

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Development and Optimization of Polypropylene-Chitosan Composites with Conductive Fillers for Improved Biodegradability

Adebayo, Stephen O. Adelaja, Oluwaseun A. Babatola, J. O. Udorah, Daniel O.

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Abstract

Addressing the environmental concerns associated with non-biodegradable plastics, this study focuses on the development of biodegradable polypropylene-based composites using chitosan nanoparticles and conductive fillers. Initially, five samples of polypropylene-chitosan composites were prepared: a control sample of neat polypropylene (AO) and four samples containing varying concentrations of chitosan nanoparticles—10%, 20%, 30%, and 40% (A1, A2, A3, and A4, respectively). A 90-day soil biodegradation test was conducted to determine the optimal chitosan content for biodegradability. The sample containing 30% chitosan nanoparticles (A3) exhibited the highest degradation rate, leading to its selection for further experimentation. Subsequent tests examined the effect of conductive fillers—activated carbon and graphene—on the biodegradability of the optimized A3 sample. Nine new composites were formulated by adding activated carbon and graphene at concentrations of 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20%. Results showed that the incorporation of graphene significantly enhanced biodegradability, with the sample containing 20% graphene (C4) achieving the greatest weight reduction, indicating a near-complete breakdown by the end of the 90-day period. While activated carbon also improved degradation, its impact was less pronounced compared to graphene, particularly at higher concentrations. These findings suggest that the combination of 30% chitosan nanoparticles with 20% graphene offers an optimized biodegradable composite, balancing environmental degradation with material stability. This study concludes that graphene, particularly at higher concentrations, is a promising additive for optimizing the biodegradability of polypropylene composites, offering a pathway to environmentally friendly alternatives to conventional plastics.

keywords:

Biodegradable composites; Polypropylene-chitosan blend; Activated Carbon;

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