Effect of Advanced Chemical Treatments on the Tensile and Bending Properties of Date Palm Composites

The contemporary focus on lignocellulosic waste valorization has triggered a transformative shift towards the utilization of biocomposite materials.This study endeavours to determine the impact of advanced chemical treatments on the properties (mechanical and physical) of composites based on date palm fibres (DPF).The investigation involves the application of soda (NaOH) and silane coupling agent (SCA) treatments, followed by IR spectroscopy analysis.The experimental framework includes the incorporation of 5 and 25% of treated and untreated fibres into polyvinyl chloride (PVC) composites, which are subsequently subjected to both tensile and 3-point bending deformations.Notably, the findings reveal a substantial improvement in mechanical properties when comparing Young's modulus of untreated fibres with those treated with SCA and NaOH with 7.2%, 75.37% and 37.04% in 5% filler content to the neat matrix.Similarly, in 25% filler content FTS composites showed 156.77%, 141.17% and 96.66% improvement respectively, similar results were found in bending modulus.This outcome confirms the potential of incorporating chemically treated date palm fibres to enhance the mechanical performance of composite materials.The advancements achieved through SCA and NaOH treatments present opportunities for the development of biocomposites with superior mechanical attributes.Such enhanced materials hold promise for a myriad of industrial applications, marking a significant stride towards sustainable and innovative solutions in the realm of lignocellulosic waste valorisation.