FILLER EFFECTS OF BY-PRODUCTS OF RICE ON POLYETHYLENE

Abstract

The chaffs and straws, which are by-products of rice, and their acetylated products were filled into polyethylene.
The thermal distortion and the mechanical properties of the composite were determined, and the effects of chaff and straw geometries and its applicability were discussed.
1) The heat distortion temperature and Young's modulus increased, and the tensile and impact strength and the elongation at break decreased with increasing the content of chaffs or straws.
2) The heat distortion temperature of the composite with the straws was higher than that with the flake-like chaffs. The tensile and impact properties were improved by increasing aspect ratio and the acetylated products were more effective than the non-acetylated ones.
3) The characteristics of the chaffs or straws suggest the good applicability as the filler in thermoplastics.