Production and characterization of cork-polymer composites

ABSTRACT In the polymer industry, there are many studies that deal with weight and cost reduction in both internal and external components of products. Another purpose of the studies is to gain new functionalities to the products. Cork is one of the most popular natural materials because of its low density, good abrasion resistance, and esthetical properties. Those properties made it very attractive in the industry and scientfic area. Cork has been used in different industries such as construction, aerospace, food, and etc. Because of its easy processability, the number of applications is increasing day by day. Cork has been generally used in the form of composites. The bark of the cork oak is grounded in the form of powder or particles and those materials are blended with a proper polymer matrix. The final products are formed by a proper processing method. In this study, cork/polypropylene (PP) blends were prepared. Blends were prepared at various filler raitos and optimum extrusion parameters were determined. After that, composite films were prepared at different temperatures and process conditions were optimised. Morphological, rheological, thermal, structural and mechanical properties of composites are reviewed. Keywords: Cork, polymer, biocomposite, automotive