Effect of chemical treatment on surface modification of Abutilon indicum fibres for composites applications

As people become more aware of the environmental damage caused by synthetic materials, ecofriendly materials are being developed. Natural fibres are increasingly being used in a variety of technical textile applications. The natural fibres are strong, inexpensive, and renewable that aid in the various manufacture of lightweight composites. The lignocellulosic fibres have their own advantages and disadvantages in terms of hydrophilic or hydrophobic nature and thermal behaviour while applying for various purposes in technical fields. To overcome the demerits of natural fibres, these fibres need to be treated using physical or biological or chemical methods for modifying the surface morphology, thermal degradation and moisture or water absorption properties which would result in better composite products. This study focuses on altering the salient properties of Abutilon indicum fibres using various chemicals for bringing potential natural fibre-reinforced composites. The chemical treatments have resulted in modification of surface morphology, chemical constituents and thermal properties of the abutilon fibres, which would result in production of better composite structures in future.

Automated summary

As people become more aware of the environmental damage caused by synthetic materials, eco-friendly materials, such as natural fibers, are being developed and used in various technical textile applications. This study focuses on the modification of Abutilon indicum fibers using chemical treatments to improve their properties for potential natural fiber-reinforced composites.