Tensile, Durability and Thermal Conductivity Assessment of Jute/Tetracarpidium Conophorum Reinforced Polypropylene Composites

The use of natural fibers as a substitute for traditional synthetic fibers in various applications has attracted researchers due to their inherent characteristics and environmental friendliness, compared to the synthetic options. This study employed jute fiber and shell particles of African walnut (Tetracarpidium conophorum), in varying weight proportions of 5-30 wt% and 2-8 wt%, respectively, relative to the weight of polypropylene, in the presence of 2 wt% maleated polypropylene. The jute fibers were treated in a NaOH solution and used to produce the composites. All developed samples underwent various tests, and the microstructure of selected samples was examined using a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The analysis of ultimate tensile strength and tensile strength at break revealed that the sample reinforced with 4 wt% walnut shell particles (WSP) and 25 wt% jute fiber achieved optimum values, beyond which interference and agglomeration of the reinforcements became prominent. Both the tensile modulus and density were enhanced by adding jute fiber and WSP. Water absorption, both before and after soil burial, increased with higher filler content, while thermal conductivity rose with WSP addition. However, with increasing fiber content, the voids became more pronounced, resulting in lower thermal conductivity.