Effect of fiber surface modifications on the properties of snake grass fiber reinforced polypropylene bio-composites.

Snake grass fibers (SGFs)-reinforced polypropylene (PP)-based longitudinal bio-composites (40 wt% by fiber) were successfully manufactured by compression molding and tested for their physicomechanical, hardness, and thermal properties. SGFs were modified with non-ionizing radiation at different intensities and then bio-composites were fabricated. The mechanical properties of irradiated-SGF/PP bio-composites were significantly improved compared to untreated parts. Irradiated SGFs were grafted with 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) monomers by photocuring under UV light. The number of UV passes and therefore the HEMA concentration were optimized with the extent of grafting of HEMA, tensile, and impact properties. Bio-composites reinforced with 10% HEMA and the 50th UV pass of SGF show maximum mechanical properties. Again, the irradiated SGFs were modified with alkali (NaOH) solutions of different concentrations at different temperatures. Optimized alkali-treated SGFs were then grafted with optimized HEMA by photocured with the same UV-pass and their composite samples rendered the best mechanical properties like tensile strength, tensile modulus, impact strength, and hardness. Optimized alkali-treated SGF with optimized HEMA grafted composite samples had higher thermal stability than other samples. Scanning electron microscopy, water absorption, and weather tests of composites were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]