TENSILE AND THERMAL PROPERTIES OF POLYCARBONATE-COATED TAMARIND FRUIT FIBERS

In this work agro-based waste natural tamarind fibers were extracted from ripened fruit, and alkali treatment and polycarbonate coating were used to improve the properties of the chemically modified fibers. The tensile properties of these chemically modified fibers were found to be improved by polymer coating. Scanning electron micrographs indicated better interfacial bonding between the fiber and matrix. Thermogravimetric analysis showed that the thermal stability of the coated fibers was lower than that of polycarbonate but higher than that of uncoated fibers. The moisture absorption of the polycarbonate-coated fibers was lower than that of uncoated fibers.