Mechanical properties and water absorption of MaterBi-Y sisal fibers composites: Effect of alkaline treatment

VERA ALVAREZ; ROXANA RUSCEKAITE; ANALÍA VÁZQUEZ

JOURNAL OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

SAGE PUBLICATIONS LTD

Lugar: London; Año: 2003 vol. 37 p. 1575 - 1588

0021-9983

Biocomposites were produced using a biodegradable material as matrix, and sisal fibers as reinforcement. The biodegradable material is a commercial product called MaterBi-Y, which is based on a cellulose derivatives and starch system. The characterization of these biocomposites was not done before and it is necessary in order to select a material instead of nonbiodegradable matrices. An alkaline treatment was performed in order to improve the mechanical properties of the fiber. The effect of the treatment on fiber properties and on impact, flexural, and tensile properties of composites were determined. Fiber content enhances the tensile properties of the biodegradable matrix. Water sorption studies were performed. The experimentally observed tensile properties (modulus and tensile strength) of short sisal fiber-reinforced cellulose derivatives/starch composites with different fiber loading are compared with the calculated values obtained from the existing theories of reinforcement.