UV Aging of Poly (Butylene) Succinate/Date Palm Fibers Composites

Natural fibers, when used as reinforcement, offer a wide range of attractive characteristics and provide an alternative solution for waste materials. To investigate the performance of natural fiber-reinforced composites in outdoor applications, it is essential to analyze their environmental degradation properties, particularly under UV conditions. In this study, biocomposites based on date palm fibers were fabricated using the injection molding process. An enzymatic hydrolysis process, employing a synergistic activities effect of xylanase and pectinase enzymes, was applied to treat date palm fibers and compare the resulting composites. Tensile testing and SEM analysis were served for this evaluation. Additionally, the impact of accelerated UV environmental aging on the mechanical properties of all the fabricated composites was assessed. The results obtained revealed that UV aging caused a certain reduction in the tensile properties of composites loaded with raw fibers. This reduction was attributed to weak interfacial bonding, as evidenced by SEM images, which may have been further degraded after artificial aging. In contrast, composites filled with treated fibers exhibited improved preservation of their tensile properties, suggesting a more robust interfacial interaction between the treated fibers and the matrix material.