Effect of Nano-CaCO3 on the Structure and Properties of Holocellulose-Fiber/Polypropylene Biomass Composites

The impact of nano-CaCO3 on the structure and properties of holocellulose-fiber/polypropylene biomass composites was conducted. With different content of nano-CaCO3, the crystallization behavior and thermal properties of holocellulose-fiber/nano-CaCO3/polypropylene composites were investigated by X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry, polarizing microscope, and thermogravimetric analysis. The results illustrated that the structure and properties of the composites were affected greatly by the nano-CaCO3 and the optimal content of nano-CaCO3 was 5wt.%. Water absorption of composites with 5wt.% nano-CaCO3 decreased by 21.8% and the crystallinity increased by 14% compared with samples without nano-CaCO3. The mechanical properties of composites also kept high performance and the thermogravimetric analysis presented the enhancement of thermal stability. All results suggested that the synergistic effect of holocellulose-fiber and nano-CaCO3 developed a high mechanical property and low-water-absorption holocellulose-fiber/nano-CaCO3/polypropylene ternary composites.