Thermomechanical properties of woven abaca fiber-reinforced nanocomposites

In this study, natural fiber-reinforced polymer nanocomposites were prepared from high-density polyethylene (HDPE), abaca fiber, and nanoprecipitated calcium carbonate (NPCC) using the hot press technique. The study investigated the influence of untreated and alkali-treated woven abaca fabric and NPCC hybrid reinforcement on the thermomechanical behavior of the natural fiber composites. The HDPE with different amounts of NPCC was melt-blended in a twin-screw extruder followed by hot press to produce sheets. A lamination of composites containing alternating layers of HDPE sheets with different amounts of NPCC and layers of untreated and alkali-treated woven abaca fabric was produced using a hot press machine. The resulting material was composed of 20% weight ratio of woven abaca fibers. The tensile strength showed that the nanocomposite exhibited a high tensile value of 60.1 MPa with alkali-treated abaca and 1% NPCC. However, a further increase in the NPCC concentration beyond 1% reduced the mechanical strength of the nanocomposite. The thermal stability of the abaca fiber-reinforced nanocomposite improved with addition of NPCC. Scanning electron microscopic analysis demonstrated that alkali-treated abaca and 1% NPCC improved the adhesion and compatibility between the fiber and polymer matrix. The potential applications of this natural fiber-reinforced composite are for automotive and construction materials.