Effect of chemical and enzymatic treatments of alfa fibers on polylactic acid bio-composites properties

Abstract

Poor interfacial adhesion between vegetable fibers and bio-based thermoplastics is recognized as a serious drawback for biocomposite materials. To be applicable for a large-scale production, one should consider appropriate methods of natural fiber handling. This study presented poly(lactic acid) (PLA) reinforced with Alfa short fibers and four types of fiber treatment were selected. The effect of these treatments on the tensile properties and the morphology of biocomposites was studied. Composite samples were produced using a twin-screw extruder and an injection molding machine with a fiber percentage of 20 wt %. Prior to composite manufacture, Alfa fibers were subjected to mechanical, chemical and enzymatic modifications. The comparison of enzyme treated fibers and NaOH treated fibers was investigated by means of biochemical and morphological analyses. It was observed that enzymes decompose lignin, pectin and hemicelluloses from the fiber bundles interface leading to the reduction of technical fiber diameter and length. The elimination of these hydrophilic components resulted also in an increase of the water resistance of treated fibers. A bigger fiber-matrix interface area was thus created, which facilitated fiber-matrix adhesion and enhanced mechanical characteristics of the composites. SEM micrographs showed homogeneous distribution of treated fibers in the polymer matrix. Tensile strength of PLA biocomposites filled with pectinase treated fibers was increased by 27% over untreated samples. The data proved that enzymatic treatment can be used as an effective and ecofriendly strategy of fiber modification for natural fiber-reinforced composite production. These materials can be used in several domains such as construction, automotive applications and packaging industries.