Mechanical and Thermo-Mechanical Properties of Poly(Butylene Succinate) Composites Reinforced with Bagasse Fibers
Keywords:
Poly(Butylene Succinate), Bagasse Fiber, Biocomposites, Alkali Treatment, Heat Deflection TemperatureAbstract
This study investigates the preparation and properties of poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) composites reinforced with bagasse fibers, focusing on the effects of fiber loading (10–30 pph) and alkaline surface treatment on the mechanical, morphological, and thermo-mechanical properties of the composites. The fibers were treated with 5 wt.% sodium hydroxide solution, then compounded with PBS using a twin-screw extruder and hot-compression molding to produce test specimens. Morphological analysis revealed that the alkali-treated fibers exhibited a cleaner and rougher surface than untreated fibers, which was consistent with the FTIR results showing a reduction in the intensity of peaks associated with hemicellulose, lignin, and surface impurities. The incorporation of bagasse fibers increased the tensile modulus and heat deflection temperature (HDT) of the composites with increasing fiber content. The tensile modulus increased from 325.3 MPa for neat PBS to 955.4 MPa, while the HDT increased from 87.6°C to 108.3°C for the composite containing 30 pph alkali-treated fibers. However, tensile strength, percent elongation at break, and impact strength gradually decreased as fiber loading increased because of stress concentration and reduced matrix continuity. Alkali treatment improved the interfacial adhesion between the fibers and the PBS matrix, resulting in higher tensile strength and impact strength than those of composites containing untreated fibers. In addition, fiber incorporation had only a slight influence on the thermal behavior and overall crystallinity of PBS. These findings demonstrate that alkali-treated sugarcane bagasse fibers are promising reinforcing materials for PBS, providing enhanced stiffness and heat deflection resistance while offering a sustainable approach for valorizing agricultural waste in the development of biodegradable biocomposites.
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