The Role of Surface Treatments on Mechanical and Interfacial Shear Strength of Pineapple Leaf Fibers

Haydar Zaman; Ruhul A. Khan

Abstract

Natural fibers are seen as having potential application as reinforcing agents in polymer composite materials due to their main advantages, which include moderate strength and stiffness, low cost, and being an environmentally beneficial, degradable, and renewable material. They are susceptible to absorbing moisture because of their innate hydrophilicity, which can weaken or plasticize the adherence of the fibers to the surrounding matrix and impact the performance of composite materials employed in atmospheric humidity, especially at high temperatures Surface treatments of the fibre are routinely carried out in order to strengthen the bond between the fibres and matrix. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of sodium hydroxide (NaOH, alkali), 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (3-APS, silane), and combined alkali and silane treatments on the mechanical (tensile), morphological, and structural properties of pineapple leave fibers (PALF). Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) analysis proved the efficacy of the alkali and saline treatments in removing contaminants from the fiber surfaces. Silane treated fibers have less contaminants, lignin, and hemicelluloses eliminated than those by other chemical treatments, according to the morphological analysis of treated PALF by SEM. Compared to untreated, alkaline, and NaOH-silane treated PALF, those that have been treated with silane have higher tensile strength. In order to evaluate the interface quality of untreated, NaOH, silane, and NaOH-silane treated PALFs-epoxy composites, as well as the apparent interfacial shear strength (IFSS or a), a single-fiber fragmentation test and data reduction technique were used. It was discovered that treated samples significantly increase a, signifying an improved amount of adhesion. According to the droplet test, the PALF treated with alkali and silane had improved interfacial stress strength, whereas the silane-treated fibers had the highest interfacial stress strength. The development of high performance PALF reinforced polymer composites for industrial applications is anticipated to benefit from fiber treatments