Investigation of Mechanical Properties of Coffee Husk-HDPE-ABS Polymer Composite Using Injection-Molding Method

Waste biomass-based natural fibers are being extensively researched nowadays as a composite material with various waste-based high-density polyethylene (HDPE) to utilize the waste biomass and recycle the plastic waste in an effective approach. In this study, chemically modified spent coffee husk (CH) has been applied with different ratios of HDPE to produce composite material and characterized comprehensively to determine the mechanical stability of the products. The injection molding method was used for composite development containing HDPE with untreated and 10 wt% NaOH-treated CH weight ratios of 0%, 15%, 20%, and 25% together with 10 wt% coupling agent and filler materials of acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) and kaolin clay, respectively. Physicochemical characteristics of untreated CH, 10 wt% NaOH treated CH, pristine HDPE and HDPE-CH composites have been analyzed comprehensively in this study. Adding 25 wt% fiber with 65 wt% HDPE and 10 wt% of ABS (7 wt%)-kaolin clay (3 wt%) increased the tensile and bending properties significantly. This composite presented the maximum tensile, flexural, and impact strengths, which were 36 MPa, 7.5 MPa, and 2.8 KJ/m2, respectively. The tensile strength and bending strength of NaOH-treated coffee husk fibers (CHF) were enhanced by 32% and 29%, respectively. The microstructural characteristics of HDPE with treated and untreated CHF composites analyzed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated the fibers’ and matrix’s excellent adhesion and compatibility. Thus, HDPE polymer-treated CH composite presented excellent stability, which can be expected as a new addition for construction, food packaging, and other industrial applications.