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This study investigates the mechanical, thermal, and morphological properties of polylactic acid (PLA) composites reinforced with 10 wt% flax, hemp, and pineapple leaf fibres (PALF), produced via extrusion and Fused Deposition Modelling (FDM) 3D printing. Alkali treatment and PLA pre-coating were applied to enhance fibre-matrix interactions. Tensile testing revealed that the hemp composites exhibited the highest strength, with values reaching 29.12 MPa for surface-treated fibres, when compared to 23.84 MPa and 18.91 MPa for flax and PALF, respectively. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that alkali-treated hemp composites had the greatest thermal stability, with an onset degradation temperature of 306°C, compared to 291°C for flax and 295°C for PALF. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirmed improved fibre dispersion and interfacial bonding in treated hemp composites, contributing to enhanced mechanical performance. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy revealed reduced O-H peaks, indicating successful fibre surface modifications. These findings highlight the potential of hemp fibres for automotive applications, offering superior mechanical properties and thermal stability over other natural fibres when incorporated into PLA composites.
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Skosana et al. (2025) studied this question.
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