Different types of natural fiber composites with thermoplastic matrices have been extensively investigated, especially with polyolefins. However, the ability of these fibers as reinforcement of technical matrices has been less studied. This study evaluates the possibilities of using fique fibers (hard fibers) obtained from leaves to reinforce technical matrices such as polyoxymethylene (POM). The mechanical behavior of fique fiber-POM matrix composites has been analyzed as a function of the fiber length, the fiber content, and the surface modification of the fiber. The treatments used correspond to alkalization, and using of formaldehyde, glycidyl methacrylate, and an isocyanate compound. The mechanical properties of these treated fiber composites are higher than those of the untreated ones, due to the enhancement of the fiber-matrix adhesion, observed by the reduction on the hydrophilic tendency of fique fibers. The hydrophilicity has been analyzed by following the variation of the polar component of the free surface energy, calculated by the Owens-Wendt method.
Deng, X. and Hao, J. (2001). Synthesis and Characterization of Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) Macromer of Bacterial Origin , Eur. Polym. J., 37: 214-221 .
2.
Dufresne, A. and Samain, E. (1998). Preparation and Characterization of a Poly (β-hydroxyoctanoate) Latex Produced by Pseudomonas oleovorans , Macromolecules, 31: 6426-6433 .
3.
Luo, S. and Netravali, A. (1999). Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Environment-friendly Green Composites Made from Pineapple Leaf Fibers and Poly(hydroxybutyrate-co-valerate) Resin , Polym. Comp., 20: 367-378 .
4.
Cazaurang, M. , Herrera, P. , Gonzalez, P. and Aguilar, M. (1991). Physical and Mechanical Properties of Henequen Fibers , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 43: 749-756 .
5.
Mansour, O. , El-Hady, B. , Ibrahim, S. and Goda, M. (2001). Lignocellulose-polymer Composites. V. , Polym. Plast. Techn. Eng., 40: 311-320 .
6.
Gallego, N. , Rosa, C. , Sánchez, R. , Fung, J. , Vázquez, A. and Santo Tomás, J. (2000). Characterization and Application of Poly(β-hydroxyalkanoates) Family as Composite Biomaterials , Polym. Test, 19: 485-492 .
7.
Mohanty, A. , Mishra, M. and Hinrichsen, G. (2000). Biofibers, Biodegradable Polymers and Biocomposites: An Overview . Macromol. Mater. Eng., 276/277: 1-24 .
8.
Joseph, K. , Varghese, S. , Kalaprasad, G. , Thomas, S. , Prasannakumari, L. , Koshy, P. and Pavithran, C. (1996). Influence of Interfacial Adhesion on the Mechanical Properties and Fracture Behavior of Short Sisal Fibre Reinforced Polymer Composites , Eur. Polym. J., 32: 1243-1250 .
9.
Joseph, K. , Thomas, S. and Pavithran, C. (1993). Dynamic Mechanical Properties of Short Sisal Fiber Reinforced Low Density Polyethylene Composites , J. Reinf. Plast. Comp., 12: 139-155 .
10.
Kalaprasad, G. , Thomas, S. , Pavithran, C. , Neelakantan, N. and Balakrishnan, S. (1996). Hybrid Effect in the Mechanical Properties of Short Sisal/Glass Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Low Density Polyethylene Composites , J. Reinf. Plast. Comp., 15: 48-73 .
11.
Ray, D. and Sarkar, B. (2001). Characterization of Alkali-treated Jute Fibers for Physical and Mechanical Properties , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 80: 1013-1020 .
12.
Mitra, B. , Basak, R. and Sarkar, M. (1998). Studies on Jute-reinforced Composites, its Limitations, and Some Solutions through Chemical Modification of Fibers , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 67: 1093-1100 .
13.
Rana, A. , Mandal, A. , Mitra, B. , Jacobson, R. , Rowell, R. and Banerjee, A. (1998). Short Jute Fiber-reinforced Polypropylene Composites: Effect of Compatibilizer , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 69: 329-338 .
14.
Gassan, J. and Bledzki, A. (1999). Effect of Cyclic Moisture Absorption/Desorption on the Mechanical Properties of Silanized Jute-epoxy Composites , Polym. Comp., 20: 604-611 .
15.
Gañán, P. and Mondragon, I. (2002). Surface Modification of Fique Fiber. Effect on their Physico-mechanical Properties , Polym. Comp., 23: 383-394 .
16.
Saha, A. , Das, S. , Bhatta, D. and Mitra, B. (1999). Study of Jute Fibers Reinforced Polyester Composites by Dynamic Mechanical Analysis , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 71: 1505-1513 .
17.
Zhu, W. , Tobias, B. and Coutts, R. (1995). Banana Fibre Strands Reinforced Polyester Composites , J. Mater. Sci. Lett., 14: 508-510 .
18.
Marcovich, N. , Reboredo, M. and Aranguren, M. (1998). Dependence of the Mechanical Properties of Woodflour-polymer Composites on the Moisture Content , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 38: 2069-2076 .
19.
Gassan, J. and Bledzki, A. (1999). Possibilities for Improving the Mechanical Properties of Jute/Epoxy Composites by Alkali Treatment of Fibres , Comp. Sci. Techn., 59: 1303-1309 .
20.
Oksman, K. , Wallström, L. , Berglund, L. and Dias, R. (2002). Morphology and Mechanical Properties of Unidirectional Sisal-epoxy Composites , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 84: 2358-2365 .
21.
Mishra, S. , Naik, J. and Patil, Y. (2000). The Compatibilising Effect of Maleic Anhydride on Swelling and Mechanical Properties of Plant-fiber-reinforced Novolac Composites , Comp. Sci. Techn., 60: 1729-1735 .
22.
Zárate, C. , Aranguren, M. and Reboredo, M. (2000). Resol-vegetable Fibers Composites , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 77: 1832-1840 .
23.
So, S. and Rudin, A. (1990). Effects of Resin and Curing Parameters on the Degree of Cure of Resole Phenolic Resins and Woodflour Composites , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 40: 2135-2149 .
24.
Joseph, P. , Joseph, K. and Thomas, S. (1999). Effect of Processing Variables on the Mechanical Properties of Sisal-fiber-reinforced Polypropylene Composites , Comp. Sci. Techn., 59: 1625-1640 .
25.
Chuai, C. , Almdal, K. , Poulsen, L. and Plackett, D. (2001). Conifer Fiber as Reinforcing Materials for Polypropylene Based Composites , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 80: 2833-2841 .
26.
Rozman, H. , Tay, G. , Kumar, R. , Abubakar, A. , Ismail, H. and Mohd, Z. (1999). Polypropylene Hybrid Composites: A Preliminary Study on the Use of Glass and Coconut Fiber as Reinforcements in Polypropylene Composites , Polym. Plast. Techn. Eng., 38: 997-1011 .
27.
Liao, B. , Huang, Y. and Cong, G. (1997). Influence of Modified Wood Fibers on the Mechanical Properties of Wood Fiber-reinforced Polyethylene , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 66: 1561-1568 .
28.
Mishra, S. and Naik, B. (1999). Studies on Swelling Behavior of Wood-polymer Composites Based on Agro-waste and HDPE in Steam and Water at Ambient Temperature , Polym. Plast. Techn. Eng., 38: 1051-1058 .
29.
George, J. , Thomas, S. and Bhagawan, S. (1999). Effect of Strain Rate and Temperature on the Tensile Failure of Pineapple Fiber Reinforced Polyethylene Composites , J. Thermoplast. Comp. Mat., 12: 443-464 .
30.
Manikandan, K. , Diwan, S. and Thomas, S. (1996). Tensile Properties of Short Sisal Fiber Reinforced Polystyrene Composites , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 60: 1483-1497 .
31.
Khan, M. , Mina, F. and Drzal, L. (2000). Influence of Silane Coupling Agents of Different Functionalities on the Performance of Jute-polycarbonate Composite , In: 3rd International Wood and Natural Fibre Composites Symposium, Kassel, Germany (September 19-20, 2000).
32.
Rothan, R. (1995). Particulate-filled Polymer Composites, In: Polymer Science and Technology Series, 450, Longman Scientific and Technical, New York .
33.
Moharana, S. , Mishra, S. and Tripathy, S. (1990). Chemical Modification of Jute Fibes. I. Permanganate-initiated Graft Copolymerization of Methyl Methacrylate onto Jute Fibers , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 40: 345-357 .
34.
Rout, J. , Tripathy, S. , Nayak, S. , Misra, M. and Mohanty, A. (2001). Scannning Electron Microscopy Study of Chemically Modified Coir Fibers , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 79: 1169-1177 .
35.
Sing, B. , Verma, A. and Gupta, M. (1998). Studies on Adsorptive Interaction Between Natural Fiber and Coupling Agents , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 70: 1847-1858 .
36.
Yuan, X. , Zhang, Y. and Zhang, X. (1999). Maleated Polypropylene as a Coupling Agent for Polypropylene-waste Newspaper Flour Composites , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 71: 333-337 .
37.
Gassan, J. and Gutowski, V. (2000). Effects of Corona Discharge and UV Treatments on the Properties of Jute-fibre Epoxy Composites , Comp. Sci. Techn., 60: 2857-2863 .
38.
Hua, L. , Zadorecki, P. and Flodin, P. (1987). Cellulose Fiber Polyester Composites with Reduced Water Sensitivity (I) . Chemical Treatment and Mechanical Properties, Polym. Comp., 8: 199-202 .
39.
Gañán. P. and Mondragon, I.Behavior of Fique Fiber-polypropylene Composites . Int. J. Polym. Mater. (in press).
40.
Gañán, P. and Mondragon, I. (2003). Thermal and Degradation Behavior of Fique Fiber Reinforced Thermoplastic Matrix Composites , J. Thermal Anal. Calorim., 73: 783-795 .
41.
Shimizu, R. and Demarquette, N. (2000). Evaluation of Surface Energy of Solid Polymers Using Different Models , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 76: 1831-1845 .
42.
Xu, W. and He, P. (2001). Crystallization Characteristics of Polyoxymethylene with Attapulgite as Nucleating Agent , Polym. Eng. Sci., 41: 1903-1912 .
43.
Mwaikambo, L. and Ansell, M. (2002). Chemical Modification of Hemp, Sisal, Jute, and Kapok Fibers by Alkalization , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 84: 2222-2234 .
44.
Fengel, D. and Wegener, G. (1984). Wood. Chemistry, Ultrastructure, Reactions, Walter de Gruyter, Berlin .
45.
Joseph, K. , Thomas, S. and Pavithran, C. (1996). Effect of Chemical Treatment on the Tensile Properties of Short Sisal Fibre-reinforced Polyethylene Composites , Polymer, 37: 5139-5149 .
46.
Tsutsumi, K. and Abe, Y. (1989). Determination of Dispersive and Nondispersive Components of the Surface Energy of Glass Fibers , Colloid. Polym. Sci., 267: 637-642 .
47.
Gassan, J. and Bledzki, A. (1999). Alkali Treatment of Jute Fibers: Relationship Between Structure and Mechanical Properties , J. Appl. Polym. Sci., 71: 623-629 .
