Surface modification and micromechanical properties of jute fiber mat reinforced polypropylene composites

A new treating method using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) and Maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (MPP) emulsion was introduced to treat jute fiber mat in order to enhance the performance of jute/polypropylene (PP) composite prepared by film stacking method. The surface modifications of jute fiber mat have been found to be very effective in improving the fiber-matrix adhesion. It was shown that treatments changed not only the surface topography but also the distribution of diameter and strength for the jute fibers, which was analyzed by using a two-parameter Weibull distribution model. Consequently, the interfacial shear strength, flexural and tensile strength of the composites all increased, but the impact strength decreased slightly. These results have demonstrated a new approach to use natural materials to enhance the mechanical performances of composites.