Mechanical and Dynamic Mechanical Behavior of the Lignocellulosic Pine Needle Fiber-Reinforced SEBS Composites

Aiming to generate wealth from waste and due to their significant fire threats to forests and their rich cellulose content, lignocellulosic pine needle fibers (PNFs) are utilized in this study as a reinforcement of the thermoplastic elastomer styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) matrix to create environmentally friendly and economical PNF/SEBS composites using a maleic anhydride-grafted SEBS compatibilizer. The chemical interaction in the composites studied by FTIR shows that strong ester bonds are formed between reinforcing PNF, the compatibilizer, and the SEBS polymer, leading to strong interfacial adhesion between the PNF and SEBS in the composites. This strong adhesion in the composite exhibits higher mechanical properties than the matrix polymer indicating a 1150 % higher modulus and a 50 % higher strength relative to the matrix. Further, the SEM pictures of the tensile-fractured samples of the composites validate this strong interface. Finally, the prepared composites show better dynamic mechanical behavior indicating higher storage and loss moduli and T-g than the matrix polymer suggesting their potential for engineering applications.

Automated summary

In this study, lignocellulosic pine needle fibers (PNFs) were used as a reinforcement in the thermoplastic elastomer styrene ethylene butylene styrene (SEBS) matrix to create environmentally friendly and economical PNF/SEBS composites. The addition of a maleic anhydride-grafted SEBS compatibilizer resulted in strong chemical bonds forming between the PNF, compatibilizer, and SEBS polymer, leading to enhanced interfacial adhesion in the composites. The prepared composites exhibited higher mechanical properties, as well as better dynamic mechanical behavior, indicating their potential for engineering applications.