Thermal behavior of graphene oxide-coated piassava fiber and their epoxy composites

Natural lignocellulosic fibers have been studied as cost-effective reinforcements in composites for engineering applications that, in some cases, may require exposure to temperatures above ambient. In the present work a promising fiber extracted from a Brazilian palm tree, the piassava fiber both neat as well as graphene oxide (GO) functionalized, had their thermal behavior analyzed jointly with corresponding epoxy composites. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) were for the first time employed to assess the thermal properties of the GO-coated piassava fiber. Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) investigated innovative epoxy matrix composites reinforced up to 30 vol% of both neat and GO-coated piassava fiber. TGA/DTG results indicate a limit of thermal stability of about 200 °C for the neat piassava fiber. On the other hand, the hemicellulose and lignin maximum degradation rates occurred at relatively higher temperatures for the GO-coated piassava fibers. The DSC analysis revealed an endothermic peak at about 125 °C for the neat piassava fiber associated with the breakage of molecular bond, which was not found for the GO-coated fibers within the maximum interval of temperature analyzed. The DMA parameters revealed notable changes attributed to the effect of GO coating on the piassava fibers regarding the viscous stiffness and damping capacity of the epoxy composite.