The effect of alkali treated pineapple fibre on the properties of plasticized polylactic acid/epoxy palm oil blend
Natural fibers are low cost, renewable, and environmentally friendly, and are suitable to be used as reinforcing agent to improve the properties of biopolymers. In this study, polylactic acid (PLA) based bioplastic composites reinforced with treated pineapple fibers (PALFs) and plasticized with ep...
| Main Authors: | , , |
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| Format: | Conference or Workshop Item |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Kulliyah of Engineering, International Islamic University Malaysia
2016
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://irep.iium.edu.my/51756/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/51756/ http://irep.iium.edu.my/51756/1/51756.pdf |
| Summary: | Natural fibers are low cost, renewable, and environmentally friendly, and are suitable to be used as
reinforcing agent to improve the properties of biopolymers. In this study, polylactic acid (PLA) based
bioplastic composites reinforced with treated pineapple fibers (PALFs) and plasticized with epoxy palm oil
were fabricated using melt blending method. Important parameter for surface treatment of fiber is the
concentration of alkali used where it will disrupt the surface of the fiber and then functionalize it. Therefore,
PALFs were alkali treated with 10%, 15%, and 20% potassium hydroxide (KOH) for 24 hours to improve
the interaction between the fiber and PLA matrix. The composites were characterized using universal tensile
test to evaluate the impact of alkali treatment on the mechanical properties on PLA/EPO/PALF blend,
followed by differential screening calorimetry (DSC) test, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to
observe the surface morphology of the composites. The composite with 15% KOH treated PALF was found to
possess the highest stress, while the composite with 10% KOH treated PALF possessed the highest
elongation-at-break which were obtained from the tensile properties. Incorporation of fibers into plasticized
PLA further reduced the glass transition temperature which indicated increased chain mobility. Whereas,
surface morphologies for tensile failed samples of treated fibers composites showed exfoliated fiber structures
compared to the untreated fibers. These plasticized PLA/fiber composites treated with alkali showed
enhanced properties compared to the untreated, in which, it showed the high potential of these composites to
be used for environmental friendly packaging materials. |
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