This study investigated the optimum NaOH concentration treatment for rubber crumbs that improves adhesion between the polymer matrix and rubber filler in rubber polyester composites. The composite was prepared by mixing rubber crumbs from waste rubber gloves with unsaturated polyester matrix. Rubber crumbs were cryogenically ground from waste gloves and treated with 1%, 4%, 7%, and 10% NaOH (by volume). Treatment with 7% and 10% NaOH provides better wettability and hydrophilicity for rubber as it decreases the surface contact angle by approximately 27%. Higher concentration of NaOH intensively etched the rubber and made the surface rougher with more microcracks, providing a larger surface area for greater polyester coverage and holding the rubber firmly. It also induced more functional groups that increased the rubber surface energy and removed the hydrophobic layer on the rubber. These factors strengthened the interfacial rubber–polyester adhesion, as shown by the SEM micrograph of the tensile fracture which the rubber crumbs adhere well to the polyester matrix. The FTIR analysis of rubber treated with higher NaOH concentration showed a higher peak intensity, which demonstrated more polar groups were generated on the rubber surface. More polar groups created further connections to the polar groups in the polyester matrix, thereby enhancing adhesion between the rubber filler and the matrix.

The efficacy of wood dust fibre treatment on the property of wood dust reinforced recycled polypropylene composite (r-WoPPC) filament was investigated. The wood dust fibre was treated using alkali, silane, and NaOH-silane. The treated wood fibre was incorporated with r-PP using a twin-screw extruder to produce filament. The silane treatment on wood dust fibre enhances interfacial bonding between wood fibre and recycled PP; hence, a filament has the highest wire pull strength, which is 35.2% higher compared to untreated and alkaline-treated wood dust filament. It is because silanol in silane forms a siloxane bond that acts as a coupling agent that improves interfacial bonding between wood dust fibre and recycled PP. The SEM micrograph of the fracture structure reveals that treated silane has strong interfacial bonding between wood dust fibre and recycled PP, having minimal void, gap, and good fibre adhesion. The water absorption test results indicate that filament with treated wood dust absorbs less water than filament with untreated wood because the treatment minimizes the gap between wood fibres and recycled PP. The FTIR analysis identified the presence of silane on the wood dust surface for silane-treated wood dust. The DSC studies suggest that the temperature range 167–170 °C be used in the extrusion machine to produce r-WoPPC filament. As a result, r-WoPPc filaments containing silane-treated wood dust have better mechanical properties and have a greater potential for usage in FDM applications.

In recent, the efforts to reduce environmental pollution by developing biodegradable material has received wide interest. The aim of this paper is to investigate the effect of durian skin fiber (DSF) on the properties of thermoplastic cassava starch (TPCS) matrix as the biodegradable material. The composites were prepared by using hot press technique to convert the starch into thermoplastic starch polymer. The effects of incorporating different amount of DSF (0-50 wt.%) on the matrix was evaluated using several testings, i.e., water absorptions, water solubility, thickness swelling, moisture content, biodegradation analysis and density measurement. The results show that incorporation of DSF has reduce the water absorption characteristic of the material. Thickness swelling of the sample were increase following the addition of DSF into the TPCS matrix, indicating improve environmentally friendly properties. Water solubility of the composites showed a decreasing trend with increasing DSF content. The morphology of the samples shows adhesion of fiber and matrix which indicates good compatibility between this component. Meanwhile, there is no apparent changes on the density of the composites following the incorporation of fiber. Overall, this finding shows that DSF has potential to improve the functional characteristics of TPCS matrix as alternative green material.