Effect of the Fibers Amount and Their Length on the Thickness and Strength of Green Composites Sugarcane-Polypropylene

Abstract

Sugarcane fiber has been studied as a potential reinforced fibers to develop green composites of
sugarcane fibers-polypropylene (PP). In this study, sugarcane fibers were alkali treated with 10%
v/v NaOH solution for 2 hours. Sugarcane fibers added to polypropylene matrix was 3 cm, 5 cm
and as their original length. They were added in the various weight percentage ratios between
sugarcane fibers to PP of 20/80, 25/75, and 30/70. Tensile test in accordance with ASTM D638-03
type 1 was conducted for all specimens. The fracture surface of tensile test specimen was then
observed by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) to study the interface bonding between
sugarcane fibers and polypropylene, mixture homogeneity and breaking mechanism. Results from
the tensile tests show that performing alkali treatment for 2 hours increases the tensile strength of
the composites up to 20,76 MPa with the original length sugarcane fibers treated with 10% NaOH
for 2 hours in the 30/70 weight ratio percentage composite. The SEM observation shows the
removal of the lignin and hemicellulose by the NaOH solution after 2 hours of soaking which
improves the mechanical bonding between sugarcane fiber and PP. Therefore it increased the
tensile strength.