Abstract
The main aim of this work was to study the effect of sisal fiber surface treatments on water uptake behavior of composites based on untreated and treated fibers. For this purpose, sisal fibers were treated with different chemical treatments. All surface treatments delayed the water absorption of fibers only for a short time of period. No significant differences were observed in water uptake profiles of composites based on fibers with different surface treatments. After water uptake period, tensile strength and Young modulus values of sisal fiber/poly(lactic acid) (PLA) composites were decreased. On the other hand, composites based on NaOH + silane treated fibers showed the lowest diffusion coefficient values, suggesting that this treatment seemed to be the most effective treatment to reduce water diffusion rate into the composites. Finally, Young modulus values of composites, before water uptake period, were predicted using different micromechanical models and were compared with experimental data.
Highlights
One of the main disadvantages of lignocellulosic fibers is their hydrophilic nature, which resulted in low compatibility with hydrophobic polymeric matrices during composite fabrication
Rajesh et al [14] carried out water absorption measurements of composites, and they observed that the water absorption for all composites increased as a function of sisal fiber due to the hydrophilic nature of natural fibers
Obtained images showed that all fiber surface treatments delayed the water silane treatment increased the hydrophobic character of sisal fibers resulting in the highest contact absorptionangle only for a short time period
Summary
One of the main disadvantages of lignocellulosic fibers is their hydrophilic nature, which resulted in low compatibility with hydrophobic polymeric matrices during composite fabrication. They prepared PLA/sisal fiber composites by an injection molding process They observed that composites based on treated sisal fibers showed higher strength and modulus values than composites based on untreated fibers. They suggested that fiber/matrix interfacial adhesion was improved after fiber surface treatment. Rajesh et al [14] carried out water absorption measurements of composites, and they observed that the water absorption for all composites increased as a function of sisal fiber due to the hydrophilic nature of natural fibers They observed that the water absorption percentage decreased in composites with successive alkali treated sisal fiber.
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