Abstract
In this study, biocomposites were fabricated through a compression moulding technique that used untreated and grafted pineapple leaf fibre separately with polylactic acid (PLA) as a matrix. For grafting, pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) was chemically modified using two different monomers, i.e. 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) and methyl methacrylate (MMA) solutions, in the presence of methanol (MeOH) and photoinitiator (Darocur-1664) under ultraviolet (UV) radiation with the aim of improving thermo-mechanical characteristics. Based on grafting efficiency and mechanical attributes, the intensity of UV radiation and monomer concentration were maximized. A series of solutions, created by varying the concentrations (10‒60%) of monomers in MeOH along with 2% photoinitiator, were prepared. Experimental results revealed that composites made of PALF grafted with 30% HEMA at the 15th pass and 40% MMA at the 20th pass of UV radiation achieved the optimum mechanical properties compared with an untreated PALF/PLA composite. The optimized solutions were further enhanced by adding various concentrations (0.5‒1.5%) of urea, with the best mechanical features achieved using a 1% concentration of urea. The chemical bonds formed due to photografting were viewed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Degradation behaviour under heat was determined through thermogravimetric analysis, which found that photografted PALF/PLA showed significantly better thermal stability than the untreated composite sample. A water uptake test showed that grafting reduced the water retention capacity of the treated composite significantly. Crystallization characteristics were inspected using a differential scanning calorimeter, which showed that grafted PALF had a substantial effect on the degree of crystallization of PLA. In addition, scanning electron microscopy was used to monitor the interfacial bond, and revealed that interfacial adhesion was enhanced by the incorporation of photografted PALF into the matrix.
Highlights
Interest in plant extracted lignocellulosic fibres as a reinforcing filler in composites has risen significantly during the last few decades for environmental reasons
Experimental results revealed that composites made of pineapple leaf fibre (PALF) grafted with 30% hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) at the 15th pass and 40% methyl methacrylate (MMA) at the 20th pass of UV radiation achieved the optimum mechanical properties compared with an untreated PALF/polylactic acid (PLA) composite
This study focuses on lingo-cellulosic pineapple fibre, which can serve as a favourable reinforcement, as it is abundantly available in tropical countries
Summary
Interest in plant extracted lignocellulosic fibres as a reinforcing filler in composites has risen significantly during the last few decades for environmental reasons. They have comparable physico-mechanical properties, are inexpensive, cause no skin irritation, consume a small amount of energy during production and supply more O2 to the environment, and emit lower amounts of CO2 and toxic fumes during heat treatment, while the most prominent property is that they are renewable and decomposable Due to their eco-friendly nature, these natural fibres are used in engineering applications in numerous sectors, such as the textile, automotive, aeronautic and construction industries, and in biomedical sectors [1‒9], and encourage scientists to search for more and new classes of green and sustainable materials. The present study involves the modification of PALF to optimize the fibre’s attributes with the aim of broadening its future use in industrial applications For this purpose, PALFs were treated with two types of acrylic monomers under various intensities of UV radiation, and the resulting treated fibres were further set to produce PALF/PLA composites. A brief examination was carried out on thermo-mechanical properties of the treated composites and further proved that the composites can be used for diversified applications with better serviceability
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