Cellulose/syndiotactic polypropylene composites: Effects of maleated polypropylene as a compatibilizer and silanized cellulose on the morphology and tensile properties

To improve the interaction between syndiotactic polypropylene (SPP) and fibrous cellulose (FC), the effects of the addition of maleated polypropylene (MAPP) and FC surface modification with 3‐aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) on SPP/FC composites were studied with respect to the morphology and the tensile properties. The addition of MAPP brought about an improvement in the interfacial adhesion between SPP and FC according to scanning electron microscopy observations and tensile testing. This improvement was, however, less effective than the improvement in the interfacial adhesion between isotactic polypropylene (IPP) and FC. SPP and MAPP partially or microscopically phase‐separated because of the IPP‐like polymer chain structure of MAPP. With respect to the compatibility between SPP and FC, FC surface modification with APTES was more suitable. The increase in Young's modulus was remarkable in the SPP/silanized FC composite with APTES. The tensile strength of the SPP/silanized FC composite with APTES was, however, considerably lower than that of the SPP/FC/MAPP composite. These results suggest that interfacial improvement between SPP and FC requires a compatibilizer or a surface modifier with a suitable primary structure. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2009