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The load transfer effectiveness from matrix to reinforcement is depended on the interface condition of the fiber surface and matrix. Chemical treatment can change fiber properties. The current study aims to evaluate the influence of chemical treatment using silane solution on interface shear strength (ISS) of Sansevieria cylindrica fiber (SCF) reinforced epoxy composite. The research procedure includes silane treatment on SCF with percentage silane concentrations of 0.0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, and 10.0%. ISS was evaluated by a single fiber pullout procedure. SCF crystallinity, functional group, and morphology were evaluated using X-ray diffraction, Infrared spectrometry, and electron microscope. The result shows that the surface morphology of SCF became rough and the surface rougher after silane treatment of 7.5%. SCF with no treatment has a degree of crystallinity of 66.0%, but after being treated with silane treatment, the degree of crystallinity increased, and the highest value of 75.0% was obtained from the silane treatment of 10.0%. The ISS increases following the increasing silane concentration. The highest ISS of 91.3 MPa was obtained at a silane treatment of 10.0%, with an increasing ISS of 129.0% compared to the control specimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indonesia is the larger pineapple producer country in the world, so they have the potential to generate biomass waste from the peel. Pineapple peel content is a carbon source in the fermentation process for producing bacterial cellulose. Some nanomaterials such as TiO2 and Graphene oxide has been increased the adsorption of ion metal and water purification in nanocomposite membranes. CuO nanomaterial has functioned as an antibacterial material in biomedical applications. So, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of adding CuO nanoparticles (CuO-NPs) to the characteristic of bacterial nanocellulose-based membranes made of pineapple peel waste. The methods include synthesizing bacterial cellulose from pineapple peels and producing bacterial nanocellulose in a high-speed blender and a nano-homogenizer. Raw materials such as BC, CTAB, and CuO-NPs (concentrations of 1.0% and 2.0%) were mixed and homogenized using an ultrasonic homogenizer, then filtered and freeze-dried at -62oC for two days to obtain a membrane. Using SEM, XRD, FTIR, surface roughness, and tensile tester we can see the addition of CuO-NPs can affect the characteristic of BC/CuO nanocomposite. SEM Results show that the surface morphology containing a lower concentration of CuO-NPs has better homogeneity dispersion. From XRD analysis, by addition, CuO-NPs can be appearing new peaks at 35.47o and 38.68o, but it reduces the degree of crystallinity, crystallinity index, and Crystalline size of the membrane but increases its surface roughness. Adding CuO-NPs to the BC structure causes a shift and change of transmittance value that indicate the interaction of CuO to BC fibril. The highest tensile strength of nanocomposite membrane is 69.643 MPa, obtained from a lower concentration of CuO-NPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pineapple waste is one of the problems in Indonesia as a larger producer country of this fruit. Pineapple waste is used as a fermentation medium for bacterial cellulose synthesis. The study aims to obtain the effect of the addition of surfactant on the properties of bacterial cellulose (BC) based composite foam with the addition of Copper Oxide (CuO) nanoparticles. The methods were conducted using pineapple peel extract as a medium of BC synthesis. BC pellicle product was disintegrated using a high-pressure homogeniser, and then BC composite foam was produced in the presence of CuO nanoparticles. The surfactant of Polyethylene glycol (PEG) 4000 and Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide (CTAB) was used. The foaming structure was produced using freeze-drying methods. The foam structure was observed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR). The SEM result showed that the CTAB as a surfactant makes a more homogenous porosity in the bacterial cellulose. The diffractogram indicates presented crystal peak found at 14°, 16°, 22°, and 28o as cellulose fingerprint structure, and there is a new peak in 28o, 35o and 38o after the addition of surfactant. The FTIR test showed that the surfactant treatment did not significantly change the bacterial cellulose bonds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]