Novel Jute/Polycardanol Biocomposites: Effect of Fiber Surface Treatment on Their Properties

In the present study, novel biocomposites with chopped jute fibers and thermosetting polycardanol were prepared using compression molding technique for the first time. Prior to biocomposite fabrication, jute fiber bundled; were surface-treated at various concentrations using 3-glycidoxypropyltrimethoxy silane (GPS) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxy silane (APS), respectively. The interfacial shear strength, flexural properties and thermal properties of jute/polycardanol biocomposites reinforced with untreated and silane-treated jute fibers were investigated by means of single fiber microbonding test, three-point flexural test, dynamic mechanical analysis, thermogravimetric analysis and thermomechanical analysis. Both GPS and APS treatments played a role in improving the interfacial adhesion, reflecting that the organofunctional groups located at the end of silane coupling agents may contribute to linking between jute fibers and a polycardanol resin. As a result, it gave rise to increased interfacial shear strength of the biocomposites. Such interfacial improvement also led to increasing the flexural strength and modulus, storage modulus, thermal stability and thermomechanical stability. (C) Koninklijke Brill NV, Leiden, 2009