Surface Modifications and Properties for Caryota Urens Cellulose Fibers Reinforced Polymer Composites

The aim of this paper is to characterise and improve the mechanical properties by surface modifications of caryotaurens natural fiber. The fiber was obtained by retting treatment. Advantages of natural fibers are of low cost, low density, and biodegradability. Natural fibers in composites have the fundamental downsides are high moisture absorption and low compatibility between fibers and matrix. Therefore to modify the surface properties, chemical treatments are used. The fiber chemical treatment was targeted at enhancing the surface strength and the adhesion between the surface of the fiber and the polymer matrix. The different chemical treatments such as alkalization, benzoylation on natural fiber such as caryotaurens were done, so that mechanical properties such as tensile modulus, tensile strength, impact strength, flexural strength, and hardness can be improved and compared with and without treatment of the fiber at 20%, 30% and 40% of volume fraction in the composite. Mechanical properties are enhanced and water absorption of composites is reduced. Morphological investigation was performed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis for the treated and untreated fibers to study the effect of chemical treatment. It was observed that tensile properties, impact strength, flexural strength and hardness are improved by both the treatments but alkaline treatment gives the higher strength value than benzyl chloride treatment