Abstract

Research on bio composite for automotive and aerospace application has been extensive with the advancement of natural fiber yarn and woven technology. Malaysia has marked kenaf as its main crop commodity by 2020. Surface modification of natural fibers is one of the significant areas in current biocomposite research. Alkali treatment removes certain amount of lignin, hemicellulose, and wax on the surface of fiber, besides depolymerizing cellulose structure and increasing percentage of crystallinity. Surface modification with NaOH of 3%, 6% and 9% concentration with various lengths of immersion time was conducted. The effect of alkali treatment on the mechanical strength and thermal degradation of kenaf fibre were investigated by means of fiber bundle tensile test and thermogravimetric analyser (TGA). Alkali treatment strongly modifies the thermal behaviour of the fibers, being particularly effective in the removal of noncellulosic matter. In addition, the mechanical properties of kenaf fibers revealed higher tensile strength for NaOH treated fibers.

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

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.