A Study on Alkali Treatment Effects on Mechanical and Water Absorption Characteristics of Jute-Banana Fiber Phenolic Resin Composites
摘要
In the current work, hybrid fibers made from jute and banana natural fiber materials, treated with an alkali solution (NaOH), were compared with untreated fibers using phenolic resin. The prepreg making procedure was used to prepare the proposed composite laminates. An inexpensive and portable hot-press apparatus was utilized to make the hybrid composites by reinforcing jute and banana fiber combination. The mechanical properties, such as tensile strength, modulus, flexural strength, impact strength, and hardness, of phenolic jute banana hybrid composites were studied experimentally. The results reported that improved properties like hardness (8%), modulus (39.23%), flexural strength (43.44%), and tensile strength (27.39%) were observed for the treated fiber composites and showing better performance than the untreated ones. The improved properties of the treated fibers can be attributed to decreased hemicellulose and lignin content, increased surface roughness, and improved interfacial contact with the matrix. Water absorption rates were significantly reduced after alkali treatment, indicating enhanced fiber-matrix interaction and reduced hydrophilicity. SEM results of treated fiber laminates showed smoother fracture surfaces with fewer holes, supporting enhanced wettability and bonding during lamination. From this study, alkali-treated and hot-pressed jute and banana natural fiber hybrid composites exhibited improved strength as compared to untreated materials.