Comparative analysis of alkali-treated natural fibres for improved interfacial adhesion in composite materials

• Published in: Hyperfine interactions Vol. 245; no. 1
• Main Authors: Bhagat, Madhuri S, Jadhav, Varsha D, Kulkarni, Sumant Khanderao, Satishkumar, P, Rajasekaran, Saminathan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Dordrecht Springer Nature B.V 09.08.2024
• Subjects: Bamboo; Chemical treatment; Composite materials; Fiber composites; Fibers; Flax; Kenaf; Room temperature; Scanning electron microscopy; Sodium hydroxide; Statistical analysis; Tensile strength; Weibull distribution
• ISSN: 0304-3843; 1572-9540
• DOI: 10.1007/s10751-024-02041-6

Natural fibers such as bamboo, kenaf, flax, ramie and hemp were chemically treated to improve their adherence with hydrophobic matrices. One common chemical process for altering the surface of these natural fibers is alkali treatment (AT). The experiment involves soaking bamboo fibers (BF) in solutions of 1, 10, and 30 wt % sodium hydroxide (NaOH) for one day, half an hour, and twenty minutes at room temperature. These alkali-treated and untreated bamboo fibers was compared with their physical and mechanical qualities. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the circular fiber assumption, the CSA of bamboo fibers both before and after AT were compared. Improving the AT procedures for BF at room temperature using varying NaOH concentrations is the focus of this effort. Additionally, the tensile characteristics of both untreated and variously treated AT Bamboo fibres are examined using a two-parameter Weibull distribution. Instead of just showing the average tensile strength, probabilistic tensile strength has shown to be a more effective method. This study proves without a reasonable doubt that adding 1 wt % NaOH to bamboo fiber makes natural fiber reinforced composites mechanically better. According to the SEM, the CSA of bamboo fibers decreases by about 13.62–20.24% and about 18.42–22.63%, respectively, after alkali treatment.