Authors

Abstract

In the present work, polymer blends were fabricated by mixing two polymers
of polypropylene and poly (methyl methacrylate) mixed in different weight
percentage and different particle size of Iraqi kaolin. The study of some
mechanical, physical and thermal conductivity properties was carried out on all
composites. The mechanical tests included (impact, hardness, modulus of
elasticity, yield strength, elongation, stress at break and compression), Lee's disc
method was used to calculate the coefficient of the thermal conductivity of
specimens before and after reinforcement with kaolin powder. The physical
properties test included absorption tests, as well as X-ray measurement. The
results have shown that after the reinforcement with different weight percent of
kaolin powder, most mechanical properties such as hardness , modulus of
elasticity and compression increase while impact and elongation decrease with
increasing in weight percentage and a decreasing in particle size. The results have
shown also that the coefficient of thermal conductivity decreases with increase
weight percentage the water gain is decreased with the increase in weight percent
and decrease in particle size of the filler. X-ray diffraction pattern of filled
samples indicates that addition of kaolin adversely affects the crystallization of
PP/PMMA blend.

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