Mechanical and thermal properties of polypropylene reinforced with Alfa fiber under different chemical treatment

The interest in using natural fibers as reinforcement for thermoplastic polymers was attracted several studies covering both material science and green technology. The use of plant fiber requires the issue of compatibility between matrix and fibers. This study treat the effect of chemical modification (alkali treatment, etherification treatment and esterification treatment) on the Alfa fiber surface, and its impact on mechanical and thermal properties of composites. To this end, the percentage of fibers was fixed at (20. wt.%), and to evaluate the effect of each chemical modification in Alfa reinforced polypropylene (PP), based on the mechanical and thermal properties of composites. Composites containing chemically modified Alfa fibers were found to possess improved mechanical and thermal properties when compared to non-treated composite. The highest improvement in Young's modulus was observed with esterified fibers, with a 35% increase. Thermal stability is best increased using etherification-treated fiber, with gains in the temperature up to 80 °C. © 2011 Elsevier Ltd.