Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Pumice Powder Filled PPS Composites

Recently, it is common application to use particle materials as llers to improve engineering properties and lower the cost of nished product. Pumice powder is cheaper than most of traditional particle llers, however use of pumice powders as a reinforcing material in composites has not been studied in literature. Hence, in this study we have investigated the mechanical and the thermal properties of pumice powder lled polyphenylenesulphide (PPS) composites. PPS composites were reinforced with pumice powder at di erent loading rates (0, 1, 3.5, and 10 wt%) and they were manufactured by twin screw extruder and injection molding machine. Thermal properties were investigated by thermogravimetric analysis and di erential scanning calorimeter methods. Moreover, mechanical properties such as barcol hardness, tensile strength, and modulus of samples were investigated. Thermal properties of composite samples have varied signi cantly depending on the loading rate. Also mechanical properties of pumice powder lled PPS composites have showed better results than pure PPS. According to test results both of mechanical and thermal properties of composites have improved with pumice powder reinforcement and it is determined that pumice powders can be used instead of traditional particle llers.