STUDY ON MOLECULAR INTERACTION IN POLYFUNCTIONAL MALEIMIDE-MODIFIED POLYPROPYLENE PULP COMPOSITES BY ESCA, FTIR, AND DSC

Explosion fiber and polypropylene were separately modified with m-phenylene bismaleimide. The surface properties of such a modified fiber were characterized by ESCA measurements and the chemical structure was identified by FTIR and ESCA. The modified fiber and the modified polypropylene were separately compounded with polypropylene and untreated fiber, and composites with two different concentrations of modifiers were prepared by compression molding. Most of the mechanical properties were improved when modified fiber or modified polypropylene was used. The modified composites also have better thermal properties. FTIR was used to quantify the adhesion between the fiber and polypropylene. It was found that the modifying agent is covalently bonded to the fiber and polypropylene. The change in percent crystallinity of polypropylene measured by DSC was found to be influenced by the presence of the modifier in the composite. A better understanding of the nature of adhesion has been achieved for the system.