Effect of jute fibre structure change on interaction with liquid polymer resin

Aleksandra Bogdan, Jakub Wieczorek, Jerzy Myalski, Mateusz Koziol

Quarterly No. 3, 2011 pages 240-246

DOI:

keywords: natural fibres, chemical treatment, polymer matrix composites, FTIR method

abstract Aspiration to reduce product mass while maintaining good mechanical properties contributes to intensive development of composite materials. The main limitations in using of them are: the high cost of components and poor possibilities of recycling. The alternative for expensive mineral and organic fibres (glass, carbon, polyaramides) applied as reinforcements in composites may be plant-originated natural fibres. They come from renewable sources, have low mass density, low price and relatively high specific strength and stiffness. Composites containing natural fibres are easy to utilize in thermic recycling and - when using special sorts of resins - they may be biodegradable. The problem of composite material processing with the use of thermoset resins is to obtain good coupling between the natural fibres and liquid resin. It is one of major obstacles to applying natural fibres as composite material reinforcements. Improvement in the technological properties of natural fibres is possible to obtain by means of physical or chemical treatment of their surface. The paper presents the analysis of structural changes occuring within jute fabric after chemical treatment and the influence of the changes on fibre interaction with the liquid matrix resin. Investigations of the structural changes of treated jute yarn were conducted by the FTIR method with the use of a Bro-RAT FTS 60V spectrometer in the range of middle infrared. Preparations were made by the tablet technique with the use of potassium bromide (KBr) as a support. The following treatments of jute fabric were applied within the study: NaOH 1, 3, 5, 15% water solutions, methanol and vinylsilane. The yarn was exposed to the effect of the substances in various time periods - 0.5 to 6 hours. It was found that partial removal of hemicellulose from the fibres surface and near-surface areas due to treatment results in an increase of cellulose areal fraction giving an increase of polarity. It contributes to improvement in fibre wetting with liquid polyester resin. The hemicellulose contents on the yarn surface is a significant parameter deciding wetting conditions. FTIR spectral analysis of fabric treated with organic substances (methanol, vinylsilane) showed that improvement in wetting by polyester resin took place as a result of adsorption of chemical groups acting as adhesion promoters. For instance, after treatment with silane, Si-OH bonds (1915 cm^-1 peak) were detected which do not occur in untreated jute structures.