Bagasse fiber reinforced chemically functionalized polystyrene composites

Abstract

This study develops bagasse fiber (BGSEF) reinforced chemically functionalized polystyrene (CF-PS) composites (BGSEF/CF-PS) using CF-PS as a matrix, that has higher amount of functionality and requires processing upto 210°C. BGSEF/CF-PS have been processed by extrusion and injection moulding, retaining the stability of the thermally sensitive BGSEF. Relative to the CF-PS, all the BGSEF/CF-PS composite compositions show higher tensile and flexural properties, that increase with increasingly higher amounts of BGSEF in them. Relative to the CF-PS, the 10/90, 20/80 and 30/70 BGSEF/CF-PS composites show approx. 9.5%, 45% and 63% higher tensile strength, approx. 19%, 31% and 45% higher tensile modulus and approx. 20.5%, 22%, and 23% lower tensile elongation at break respectively, and show approx. 5%, 10%, and 16% higher flexural strength respectively, and approx. 6.5%, 16%, and 24% higher flexural modulus respectively. Upon water absorption saturation, the tensile and flexural properties of the wet composites decrease, relative to the dry composites. Adhesion between BGSEF and CF-PS in the composites, results from ester bonds and hydrogen bonds. The composites are thermally stable upto 290°C. These BGSEF/CF-PS composites by Palsule process show better performance than the BGSEF/PS composites by fiber treatment process.

Assessment of vegetable fiber-matrix adhesion and durability, in cement-based and polymer-based composite: Principles from literature review

“…• Palsule process: improvement of the interfacial adhesion with the natural fiber in the composite through chemical reactions. 23 Palsule process has been used for composites based on following Chemically Functionalized (CF) polymers: CF-PE (Poly Ethylene) 31 ; CF-PP (Poly Propylene) 32 ; and CF-PS 33 In other works, authors propose to apply both fiber and matrix treatments together, both fiber treatment and compatibilizer/coupling agent process together to improve the compatibility between the fibers and the matrices.…”

“…The effects of adhesion improvement between fiber and matrix on properties and durability of polymers or cements are briefly mentioned:• Vegetable fibers treatment process (chemical and physical pre-treatments): modification of the fibers surface by removing of the non-cellulosic materials.• Compatibilizer/coupling agent or additives process: improvement of the interfacial bonding fiber-matrix in polymer-based composites and delay of the fiber degradation caused by alkaline hydrolysis and calcium mineralization in cement-based composites.• Palsule process: improvement of the interfacial adhesion with the natural fiber in the composite through chemical reactions. 23 Palsule process has been used for composites based on following Chemically Functionalized (CF) polymers: CF-PE (Poly Ethylene) 31 ; CF-PP (Poly Propylene) 32 ; and CF-PS 33 …”

“…• Palsule process: improvement of the interfacial adhesion with the natural fiber in the composite through chemical reactions. 23 Palsule process has been used for composites based on following Chemically Functionalized (CF) polymers: CF-PE (Poly Ethylene) 31 ; CF-PP (Poly Propylene) 32 ; and CF-PS 33…”