Technical agave fiber tensile performance: The effects of fiber heat-treatment

Natural fiber composites are a lightweight, sustainable alternative to high-density synthetic fiber composites in semi-structural automotive applications. Heat-treatment of natural fibers prior to compounding has been shown to improve composite thermal and dimensional stability while reducing moisture absorption and odor. Previous investigation into the performance of heat-treated blue-agave fiber composites found that heat treatment of fibers at 180 degrees C increased fiber crystallinity but did not significantly alter the mechanical performance of the resulting agave fiber composites. Therefore, this study seeks to better understand the effects of heat treatment on blue-agave fiber mechanical performance (single-fiber tensile) and morphology (SEM) prior to compounding. Heat-treatment of fibers at 180 degrees C resulted in an increase in fiber secondary modulus by approximately 150 % and a reduction in strain at break by approximately 80 %. Morphological analysis of fiber fracture surfaces showed that heat-treated fibers failed in a more brittle manner than untreated fibers, which is consistent with an increase in fiber crystallinity and stiffness. Additionally, this work evaluated the ability to predict agave fiber behavior using a modified 3-parameter Weibull distribution model. The resulting volume-based model was found to be a suitable predictor for agave fiber strength.

Automated summary

Natural fiber composites serve as a lightweight, sustainable alternative to high-density synthetic fiber composites in semi-structural automotive applications. Heat-treatment of fibers prior to compounding has been shown to improve composite performance. This study investigates the effects of heat treatment on blue-agave fiber mechanical performance and morphology.