EFFECT OF PIASSAVA WASTE FIBER SURFACE TREATMENT ON THE REINFORCEMENT STRENGTH IN EPOXY COMPOSITES

摘要

Natural cellulose-based fibers are nowadays of growing interest for modern industrial composites. Relatively unknown fibers like piassava, curaua and gourde have shown promising behavior as reinforcement of polymeric composites. However, the hydrophilic characteristics of the natural fibers impair its adhesion to the normally hydrophobic polymeric matrix. Surface treatments can, in principle, improve this adhesion and the fiber/matrix interfacial strength. In this paper, the effect of alkali treatment of the surface of piassava {Atallea funifera) waste fibers was investigated in terms of the change in strength of epoxy composites reinforced with these waste fibers.