Synergistic effect of short reinforced fibers and gamma rays on the thermal and mechanical properties of waste poly(propylene) composites

Compressed molded waste poly(propylene) was reinforced with short carbon and/or glass fibers for investigation. The prepared composites were γ‐irradiated to estimate the role of the ionizing radiation as a compatibilizing agent. TGA and DSC were used to investigate the influence of exposure dose and the incorporation of short fibers on the thermal parameters of the prepared composites. The mechanical properties of different composites were also studied. It was observed that the mechanical and thermal parameters were highly affected by the kind of incorporated fibers and γ‐irradiation. The structural and morphological studies were made by means of XRD and SEM to investigate the structure change caused by the incorporation of short fibers and exposure to γ‐irradiation. The results show that the irradiation of carbon fiber–containing composite magnified its thermal stability and its tensile strength. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 96: 1741–1747, 2005