Effects of Alkalinization Treatment on Curauá Fibers for Polymer Matrix Composites.
Composite material, natural fibers, epoxy, alkaline treatment.
With increasing environmental awareness and stronger government regulations on environmental issues throughout the world, there has been an ever-increasing interest in natural fiber composite materials. Studies on structure and properties of natural fibers show that materials using this natural complement combine good mechanical properties with a low density. However, one of the reasons why the use of cellulosic natural fibers has been limited is their poor compatibility with polymeric matrices, decreasing the mechanical properties in the final composite. Therefore, these fibers normally undergo chemical treatments (such as alkaline treatment) in order to improve their properties and adhesion to the polymer matrix. The treatment used in this work will be an alkaline treatment with sodium hydroxide (NaOH), the concentrations used were 5% and 10%, this treatment allows results of superficial cleaning of the fiber as well as the increase of its roughness. In this study, Curauá fibers will be treated by alkaline solution, and characterized to evaluate the effect of the treatment in the fibers, as well as the use of these treated fibers as reinforcement in the epoxy polymer, to form a composite with polymeric matrix, with the intent to increase the interfacial bond between the matrix and the natural fiber. The fibers will be investigated by scanning electronic microscopy (SEM), Fourrier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The polymer was processed and characterized also by Fourrier transform spectroscopy (FTIR). A final dynamic mechanic analysis (DMA) will be used to characterize both the polymer and the curauá/ epoxy composite.