Investigation into the Structural, Thermal, and Mechanical Properties of Chemically Treated Jute Fiber

Undergraduate #171
Discipline: Chemistry and Chemical Sciences
Subcategory: Materials Science

Brittney Terry - Lawson State Community College
Co-Author(s): Shatori Meadows, Mahesh Hosur, and Shaik Jeelani, Tuskegee University

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The use of natural fibers has grown in industries due to their biodegradability. Natural fibers are used as a reinforcement in polymeric composites in combination or replacing synthetic fibers. However, natural fibers have poor mechanical properties as well as poor interfacial adhesion between the fiber and the matrix. Therefore, this paper presents the improvement or impairment on thermal and mechanical properties for interfacial adhesion between jute fibers and consequent matrices via potassium hydroxide (KOH) and silane treatments, while comparing the results of the 1%, 2%, and 3% solutions via characterization. In addition, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Tensile Test were used to characterize the morphological changes, compositional analysis, and subsequent mechanical properties on the jute fibers. Comparison was made based on the changes between the untreated and treated jute fiber. Using DSC, the results are shown to have the greatest impact in the alkaline (KOH) treatments due to its extremely high potency issues. As the percentage rose in the solution to solvent ratio of the silane treatment, definitively the amount of decomposition within the cellulosic region decreased. Using the tensile test, 3% SiH4 has the highest strength. Though the KOH treatment looks ideal as far as the degradation of the amorphous regions of the fibers, the KOH treatment dissolves all of the cellulosic content; therefore the KOH graph shows no degradation of cellulose. 3% Silane has the best mechanical and structural properties.

Funder Acknowledgement(s): NSF (National Science Foundation)

Faculty Advisor: Calvin Briggs,