CaCO3 IMPACT ON POLYPROPYLENE PHYSICO-
Accepted: 07th Nov, 2019 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
Published: 18th Nov, 2019
Department of Chemistry, Faculty of
Physical Science, Ahmadu Bello
University, Zaria, Kwara State.
*Corresponding Author
Dr. Abdulwahab I.
femiagie@gmail.com
(+2348131842971)
FRsCS Vol.1 No. 2
Official Journal of Dept. of
Applied Chemistry, Federal
University of Dutsin-Ma,
Katsina State.
http://journal.fudutsinma.ed
u.ng/index.php/rcs/index.
ISSN: 2705-2354 Print
2705-2362 Electronic
Abdulwahab, I., Usman, M., Jimoh, A., Jethro, Y. and Musa, I.
Abstract
A mixture of polypropylene and CaCO3 in the ratio 100:0, 90:10, 80:20, 70:30, 60:40
and 50:50 was made after a desirable matrix investigation of CaCO3 filler. The
parameters, tensile strength, elongation at break %: charpy impact test, resistivity
and water absorption tests were carried out on the prepared samples. The obtained
result showed that addition of CaCO3 powder to the polymer decreased its tensile
strength especially at 20/80 with 7.77 N/mm 2 and 40/60 with 15.31 N/mm2,
decreased its resistivity as the ratio of added CaCO3 increased from 0-50, elongation
at break %, an increased electrical conductivity as the ratio of blending with PP
increased and % water absorbed by the polymer as function of time. An
improvement in the mechanical properties of CaCO3 filled polypropylene especially
at most compatible 90:10 composite blend as evidenced by 0.65 impact strength.
Keywords: Filler, Moulding, Absorption, Tensile, Polypropylene.
Introduction
Polymers are large molecules composed of many repeated subunits called monomers (Jean et al., 2011).
Polymers could be synthetic plastics such as polystyrene (Borsodi et al., 2016) or natural biopolymers such
as Deoxyribonucleic acid and proteins that are fundamental to biological structure and function (Thomas,
2014). Polypropylene that made up of monomers of propene, has vary molecular weight, unique method of
production and the copolymers involved (Wenjie et al., 2016). We have the Commercial isotactic-
polypropylene with an intermediate level of crystallinity between low-density polyethylene (LDPE) and
high-density polyethylene (HDPE) when copolymerized with ethylene (Kang et al., 1995). Syndiotactic
polypropylene with crystallinity of 30 has a melting point of 130 0C. The melt flow rate (MFR)/melt flow
index (MFI) is a measure of molecular weight of polypropylene. Polypropylene has advantages in improved
strength, stiffness and higher temperature capability as applied to the farming fibres due to its good strength
(Hossein et al., 2017). Polypropylene is an important plastic with high revenues in the USA with a demand
growing at a rate of 4.4% per year between 2004 and 2012 (Palou et al., 2003). In the manufacture of
polypropylene extension and moulding are used, commonly called extrusion methods. The best shaping
90
Abdulwahab et al., 2019 FRsCS Vol. 1(2)

techniques of polypropylene are injection and blow Each composition of PP and CaCO3 was spread into an
molding (Nicolas et al., 2010). Calcium carbonate is aluminum mould of length 10 mm width and thickness
found in rocks as the minerals calcite and aragonite of 3 mm which was greased and wrapped with
(Yifei et al., 2018). Pure CaCO3 obtained from a pure aluminum foil, placed in a compression moulding
quarried source and produced in the Laboratory machine at a temperature of 170-190oC, pressure of 10
(Gonzalo et al., 2015); mmHg using hydrolic press for 12 mins. Sample
CaO + H2O → Ca(OH)2 removed, cooled and tested for mechanical and physical
properties (Nina et al., 2016).
Ca(OH)2 + CO2 CaCO2 + H2O Mechanical Test
The samples were cut into rectangular stripes and tested
CaCO3 is used as a primary substance for building
for tensile strength.
materials and for purification of iron from iron ore in a
Physical Tests
blast furnace (Zhiwei et al., 2015). Its addition to drilling
Resistivity Test
fluids makes formation-bridging and filtercake-sealing
Samples were cut into circular shape of 20 m in diameter
agent. CaCO3 is a finely grounded essential ingredient in
and placed under four electrodes connected to a
the microporous film used in diapers called GCC. The
voltmeter. Then current supplied and various readings
GCC are fillers in paper that are cheaper than wood
were taken for each sample. The average was taken from
fibres (Ceresana, 2011). Calcium carbonate is widely
three readings each, the resistivity and conductivity were
used as extender in paints, particularly matte emulsion
calculated (Ruijie et al., 2016) using the formular V= IR
paint where typically 30 % paint’s weight is either chalk
and ρ = RA/L, where V= Voltage, I= Current, R=
or marble. Calcium carbonate is added to trade as
Resistance, ρ= Resistivity, A= Area and L= Length.
adhesives, sealants, and decorating fillers (Zhitian et al.,
Impact Test
2018). Ceramic tile adhesives typically contain 70 to 80
The test for the samples was conducted using charpy
% limestone (Monika et al., 2005). Decorating crack
impact testing machine with capacity 15 and 25 J (Hao et
fillers contain similar levels of marble or dolomite. The
al., 2018).
CaCO3 as filler could be a conventional sized filler called
Water Absorption Test
micron sized particles from 1m-100m, submicron sized
The moulded samples of diameter 20 cm were oven-
particles from 100nm-1m and nanometer sized particles
dried for 24 hours at 500C, dessicated and weighed as
of less than 100nm dimension (Marur et al., 2004). Fillers
W1. After weighing, all the samples were immersed in a
may be classified as inorganic or organic substances, and
water bath containing distilled water at a temperature of
are further subdivided according to their chemical
250C for another 24 hours. After that, the samples were
family. Some other inorganic fillers are BaSO4 , SrTiO3,
removed and dried with a clean towel and were
ZnO, Al(OH)3, while the organic ones are
immediately weighed as W2. The weighed samples were
nanodiamonds, graphite fibres and flakes, aramid, flax
dried in a dessicator until the weight was constant W3
(Mariaenrica et al., 2018).
(Muhammad et al., 2014). The absorption was calculated
Materials and Method
using the formula:
Materials used; Analytical balance AC Adaptor DC 12V
(Japan), Two Roll milling machine, XK630 (Italy),
% water absorption =
Compression Moulding machine, EN27 23000
(Denmark), Charpy Impact testing machine ASTM E23
(India), distilled water, thermometer, dessicator,
voltmeter, ammeter, hard saw, steel plate, Hot Oven
Size One (England), polypropylene and calcium
carbonate.
Preparation of composite
Five different weights formed by addition of
polypropylene (PP) and CaCO3 thoroughly in these
ratios; 100/0 g, 90/10 g, 80/20 g, 70/30 g, 60/40 g and
50/50 g.
Compression Moulding
Abdulwahab et al., 2019 FRsCS Vol. 1(2)

Results and Discussion Table 3: Impact test of the various PP/CaCO3

Table 1: The Tensile strength of various PP/CaCO3 composites
composites S/NO PP/CaCO3 (g) Impact strength
1 100 0.475
91
S/N PP/CaC Loa Tensile Elongati Modul
O O3 (g) d strengt on (%) us
2 99/10 0.65 92
3 80/20 0.30
(N) h (N/m
4 70/30 0.26
(N/m m2)
5 60/40 0.23
m2)
6 50/50 0.26
1 100/0 110 27.57 19 145.1
0
2 90/10 115 28.05 27.9 92.91
0
3 80/20 300 7.77 5 155.4
4 70/30 825 21.22 12.6 168.33
5 60/40 500 15.31 18 85.06
6 50/50 388 10.27 13 79.00

Table 2: The mechanical properties of PP/CaCO3

composite.
S PP Le Bre A= Hei Res Re Conc
/ /Ca ngt adt l×b ght ista siti tivity(
N CO h( h(m (m2 (m) nce vit mho-
O 3 m) ) ) (oh y 1) Figure 1: Variation of Tensile strength with PP/CaCO 3
(g) m) ρ( Composite
oh
m-
1)

1 100 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 151 64 1.54

/0 08 10 119 027 45 82 ×10-5
8 9.3
2 90/ 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 124 52 1.90
10 08 10 119 028 25 24 ×10-5
3 2.3
3 80/ 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 130 47 2.08
20 07 08 116 031 33 99 ×10-5
5 4.4
4 70/ 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 114 47 2.10
30 09 09 120 028 23 43 ×10-5 Figure 2: Variation of Resistivity with PP/CaCO 3
9 1.1 composite
5 60/ 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 118 45 2.20
40 07 07 115 030 21 31 ×10-5
0 3.8
6 50/ 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.0 111 34 2.30
50 08 08 118 030 01 66 ×10-5
0 3.9
Abdulwahab et al., 2019
Figure 3: Variation of Impact strength with PP/CaCO3
composite
Figure 1 showed that 100/0 g composite has the highest
tensile strength, a slight increase at 90/10g and decreases
down to 50/50g of the composite having the lowest
tensile strength. Depicting that addition of CaCO 3 to PP
decreased tensile strength of the composites. Where in
Table 1, the highest elongation was obtained at 10/90
CaCO3/PP and least at 20/80 CaCO3/PP. And the
highest modulus was obtained at 30/70 CaCO3/PP
followed by 20/80. With the best tensile strength equally
being 10/90. With table 2 depicting that increased-
addition of CaCO3 decreased the PP resistivity but
increased the electrical conductivity. It was also observed
that as the CaCO3 increased in proportion, the height of
composites reduced due to their reduced length and
breadth obtained. In figure 2, 100/0 g showed the
highest resistivity. According to table 3 and figure 3 a
decreased in impact strength from 100/0 g PP/CaCO3
to 50/50 g PP/CaCO3 was obtained, which implied that
CaCO3 increased showed impact strength decreased of
the composites with 10/90 showing the highest.
Conclusion
Polypropylene, in its pure form, has high percentage
elongation (19 %), tensile strength (27.57 N/mm2),
impact strength (0.475 J), electrical resistivity (64829.3
Ωm), low electrical conductivity (1.54×10-2) and low
elastic modulus (145.1 N/mm2).
The Tensile strength, electrical resistivity and impact
strength of the polypropylene decreases as the amount
of CaCO3 increases. This may be due to the weak
interfacial interaction between the filler and the polymer.
Making it necessary to add a coupling agent.
FRsCS Vol. 1(2)
Therefore, the mechanical and the physical properties of
polypropylene are affected by the addition of various
composition of CaCO3, by either reducing or increasing
its mechanical and physical properties.
Recommendation
More research should be conducted by;
 Using some other inorganic and organic fillers
on the polymeric materials.
 Coupling agent should be used in order to
ascertain a general improvement in the
mechanical and physical properties of the
polymer.
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