EFFECTS ON THE PROPERTIES OF LOW DENSITY POLYETHYLENE COMPOSITES REINFORCED WITH TREATED AND UNTREATED BETEL NUT HUSK FIBERS

Betel nut (Areca catechu) husk fibers (BNHF) were extracted and used to prepare sodium hydroxide treated and untreated BNHF reinforced low density polyethylene (LDPE) composites. Extracted and washed BNHF were treated with sodium hydroxide to improve their adhesion to LDPE matrices. Chemical treatment of betel nut husk fibers with sodium hydroxide was carried out and the change in the functional group of treated BNHF was studied by FT-IR spectroscopic analyses. Sodium hydroxide treated and untreated BNHF were used in this case of research as reinforcing materials to find out their effects on LDPE composites. Different types of compression molded BNHF-LDPE composite were prepared using different weight percent of treated and untreated BNHF with compositions 5, 15, 20, 25 and 30 wt% in LDPE. The tensile, water absorption and morphological properties were studied for all composites. Enhancement in the tensile, water absorption and morphological properties were shown in the treated BNHF -LDPE composites. Alkaline treatment reduced the water absorption and increased the tensile properties of treated betel nut husk fiber-LDPE composites. Morphological analyses showed the evidence of stronger interfacial adhesion between the fibers and matrices in the alkali treated BNHF-LDPE composites than the untreated BNHF-LDPE composites.