Fabrication and mechanical behavior of date palm fibers reinforced high performance polymer composite

• Published in: Materials today : proceedings 2023, Vol.82, p.340-345
• Main Authors: Kumar Yadav, Yashwant, Dixit, Savita, Dixit, Gajendra, Namdev, Anurag, Baghel, Madhusudan, Kumar, Ashish
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Biocomposite; Chemical treatment; Date palm fiber; DPF/LDPE composite; LDPE; Mechanical properties
• ISSN: 2214-7853; 2214-7853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2023.02.147

This study focuses on the development of a biocomposite material fabricated from a matrix of waste milk pouches, which is a kind of low-density polyethylene (LDPE), reinforced with date palm fiber (DPF) using hot compression molding machine. DPF fibers were treated with NaOH solution to increase their adhesion properties with LDPE matrix. LDPE used in this work were recycled from waste milk pouches. Fiber loadings varied at 20 %, 25 %, 30 %, 35 %, and 40 % (wt. %) was utilized during fabrication process of biocomposite. Mechanical tests viz. tensile, impact and flexural tests were done to check the potential of using DPF as reinforcement in biocomposite. The composite with a 30 % addition of fiber content had an optimum tensile strength of 10.2 N/mm2 and flexural strength of 17.86 N/mm2. The impact strength had the optimum value of 47.53 kJ/mm2 at 35 % fiber loading. Another aim of this work was to find an alternative to add the value to waste LDPE which will, otherwise contribute to environmental pollution. Results confirmed that mechanical properties of the DPF/LDPE composites are suitable to be utilized in various applications.