Effect of Alkali Treatment Using Calcium Hydroxide and the Fiber Length on the Strength of Sugarcane Bagasse Fibers-Polypropylene Composites

Abstract:

Milling sugarcanes to produce sugar generates by-product called bagasse. Due to the large availability and low cost, the potential of obtaining renewable and biodegradable fibers from bagasse had been explored. To produce fibers from these bagasse, the bagasse was treated in alkali solution using 14 % v/v calcium hydroxide, Ca (OH)₂ at high temperature (60-70°C) for 4 hours. After treatment and washed to remove dissolved substances, the fibers were cut into 3 and 5 cm length. Some fibers were prepared in their original length. These fibers were mixed with polypropylene (PP) matrix in weight % ratios of bagasse fibers/PP 20/80, 25/75, and 30/70 and hotpressed to make composite samples. Composites produced were characterised with tensile test to evaluate their tensile properties. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed on the fiber surface as well as on the fracture area of the tensile tested samples. Tensile strength of the composite shows an increase with the increase of the fiber length and weight % ratios of bagasse fibers/PP up to 25/75 and decreases when bagasse fibers were added to 30 wt.%. The highest strength of 11,30 MPa was obtained when 5 cm fibers were used in a weight % ratio of bagasse fibers/PP at 25/75. SEM study found a greater number of fibers oriented perpendicular to the tension direction.

• Periodical: Applied Mechanics and Materials (Volume 815)
• Pages: 106-110
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/AMM.815.106
• Online since: November 2015
• Authors: Juliana Anggono, Suwandi Sugondo, Steven Henrico, Hariyati Purwaningsih
• Keywords: Alkali Treatment, Calcium Hydroxide, Polypropylene, Sugarcane Bagasse Fibers

References

[1] Information on http: /www. bps. go. id /menutab. php?tabel=1&kat= 3 & id_subyek = 54.

[2] J. Anggono, N. R. Habibi, S. Sugondo, in: Alkali Treatment On Sugarcane Bagasse To Improve Properties Of Green Composites Of Sugarcane Bagasse Fibers-Polypropylene, edited by Dileep Singh and Jonathan Salem, Volume 35, Issue 2 of Ceramic Engineering and Science Proceedings, - Mechanical Properties and Performance of Engineering Ceramics and Composites IX, p.139, John Wiley (2014).

DOI: 10.1002/9781119031192.ch14

[3] P.H.F. Pereira, et al.: Bioresources 6 (3) (2011), pp.2471-2482.

[4] J.L. Leite et al.: Brazilian Journal of Chemical Engineering, 21(2) (2004), pp.253-260.

[5] D. Verma, et al.: J. Mater. Environ. Sci., 3 (6) (2012), pp.1079-1092.

[6] S. M. Luz, A.R. Gonçalves, and A.P. Del'Arco, Jr: Composites Part A: Applied Science and Manufacturing 38(6) (2007), pp.1455-1461.

[7] J. Biagiotti, et al. : Polym Composite, 25(5) (2004), pp.470-9.

[8] W. Liu, et al.: J. Mater. Sci., 39 (2004), pp.1051-4.