Abstract
The miscibility between hydrophilic biofibre and hydrophobic matrix has been a challenge in developing polymer biocomposite. This study investigated the anhydride modification effect of propionic and succinic anhydrides on Kenaf fibre’s functional properties in vinyl ester bionanocomposites. Bionanocarbon from oil palm shell agricultural wastes enhanced nanofiller properties in the fibre-matrix interface via the resin transfer moulding technique. The succinylated fibre with the addition of the nanofiller in vinyl ester provided great improvement of the tensile, flexural, and impact strengths of 92.47 ± 1.19 MPa, 108.34 ± 1.40 MPa, and 8.94 ± 0.12 kJ m−2, respectively than the propionylated fibre. The physical, morphological, chemical structural, and thermal properties of bionanocomposites containing 3% bionanocarbon loading showed better enhancement properties. This enhancement was associated with the effect of the anhydride modification and the nanofiller’s homogeneity in bionanocarbon-Kenaf fibre-vinyl ester bonding. It appears that Kenaf fibre modified with propionic and succinic anhydrides incorporated with bionanocarbon can be successfully utilised as reinforcing materials in vinyl ester matrix.
Highlights
Composites with the incorporation of renewable biofibres dominate modern society since the products offer sustainable and eco-friendly characteristics [1]
The fibre specimens’ weight percent gain (WPG) after the modification process was determined according to the consumption of propionic and succinic anhydrides onto non-woven kenaf fibre mats
The anhydrides modified Kenaf fibres at the optimum WPG obtained from 100 ◦ C of temperature reaction and 180 min of retention time were utilised as reinforcing materials to prepare nanobiocomposites
Summary
Composites with the incorporation of renewable biofibres dominate modern society since the products offer sustainable and eco-friendly characteristics [1]. Chee et al [8] investigated the physical properties of nanocomposites reinforced with Kenaf fibre and nanofiller They reported that combining the fibre and nanofiller could improve the water barrier and dimensional stability of composites at 56% and 37%, respectively. Using propionic and succinic anhydrides modification of Kenaf fibre is essential to improve the hydrophobicity and compatibility in vinyl ester matrix interaction that can enhance the biocomposites’ functional properties. In light of the issues mentioned above, the present work was focused on fabrication and characterisation of vinyl ester bionanocomposites reinforced with anhydrides modified Kenaf fibre and the enhancement characteristics by incorporating bionanocarbon as nanofiller. The obtained bionanocomposites were characterised to study the physical, chemical resistance, thermal, structural, mechanical, and morphological characteristics as functional properties to determine the effect of the anhydrides modified Kenaf fibre and bionanocarbon in bionanocomposites structure. The interest of material scientists and researchers in all related fields will increase, and the field of nanobiocomposite will advance
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
