Effect of fiber morphology on rheological properties of plant fiber reinforced poly(butylene succinate) composites

• Published in: Composites. Part B, Engineering Vol. 44; no. 1; pp. 193 - 199
• Main Authors: Feng, Yan-Hong, Li, Yi-Jie, Xu, Bai-Ping, Zhang, Da-Wei, Qu, Jin-Ping, He, He-Zhi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: A. Fibers; A. Polymer–matrix composites; Applied sciences; B. Rheological properties; bagasse; Composites; Exact sciences and technology; fiber content; Forms of application and semi-finished materials; Laminates; Physicochemistry of polymers; Polymer industry, paints, wood; rheological properties; rheometers; sisal; steam; succinic acid; Technology of polymers; torque; Torque rheometer; A. Fibers; B. Rheological properties; A. Polymer–matrix composites; Torque rheometer; Ester polymer; Fiber reinforced material; Plant fiber; Sisal; A. Polymer-matrix composites; Composite material; Bagasse; Natural fiber; Morphology; Aliphatic polymer; Polysuccinate; Rheological properties
• ISSN: 1359-8368; 1879-1069
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2012.05.051

Sisal fibers (SFs), steam exploded sisal fibers (SESFs) and steam exploded bagasse fibers (SEBFs) which have different fiber morphologies, were mixed with poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) using a torque rheometer. The rheological properties of these plant fiber-reinforced PBS composites were evaluated. Results show that the fiber morphology has a large effect on rheological behavior. At the same fiber content (e.g., 10wt% and 30wt%), the non-Newtonian index n of composites reinforced by flexible fibers with a higher aspect ratio and larger contact area with the matrix is smaller. In general, n decreases with increasing fiber content but when the fiber content is too high (e.g., 50wt%), the aggregation of fibers is too extensive so that the actual contact area between fibers and matrix becomes much lower, n increase instead. At the same fiber content (e.g., 10wt% and 30wt%), the consistency indices of fibrous filler-reinforced composites are larger than those of powder-filled composites; the larger the actual contact area between the matrix and the fibers, the greater the consistency index of the composite.