Biodegradable polyester composites reinforced with short abaca fiber

The mechanical properties of poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-3-hydroxyvarelate) (PHBV) composites, reinforced with short abaca fibers prepared by melt mixing and subsequent injection molding, were investigated and compared with PHBV composites reinforced with glass fiber (GF). The influences of fiber length, fiber content, and surface treatment of the natural fiber on the mechanical properties were evaluated. Regarding fiber length, the tensile properties had a maximum at a fiber length of about 5 mm. The flexural properties of the PHBV/abaca composite were improved by the surface treatment of abaca with butyric anhydride and pyridine for 5 h because of the increase of interfacial adhesiveness between the matrix polyester and the surface-esterified fiber, as is obvious from the SEM micrographs. The flexural and tensile properties of PHBV/treated abaca composite were comparable to those of PHBV/GF composite, except for tensile modulus, compared with the same weight fraction of fiber. (C) 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.