A comparative study on optimizing chemical treatment parameters to enhance mechanical properties of sisal fiber-polycaprolactone composites

Sisal fiber/polycaprolactone (SF/PCL) composites are a new and exciting development in the field of sustainable materials research. Enhancing the physical strength of these SF/PCL composites has been the primary emphasis of the present study work. The most efficient strategies to increase the chemical treatment process have been identified using methodologies such as Taguchi’s and Grey Relational Analysis (GRA). The injection molding technique was used to make the composites while important variables were changed. Chemical treatments solutions (potassium hydroxide, lithium hydroxide, and potassium acetate), chemical concentration (2%, 4%, and 6% w/v), and treatment duration (3, 6, and 9 h) were the variables for this work. Various SF/PCL composite variations were produced as a result of these adjustments. A number of physical properties were measured to assess the improved composites’ strength, including modulus of elasticity, flexural strength, impact resistance, deformability under bending, elongation under tension, and tensile strength. To examine the examined and treated materials in detail, we employed a scanning electron microscope (SEM). Using GRA and mean plots, the composite’s ideal values were the same. The optimal parameters for X₁-Y₂-Z₂ were determined to enhance the mechanical properties of SF/PCL, which are KOH, 4%, and 4 h. However, the microstructure of the PCL matrix bio-composite strengthened with sisal fiber was affected by a variety of surface treatments.