Effective mechanical properties of polyvinylalcohol biocomposites with reinforcement of date palm leaf fibers

Polyvinylalcohol/date palm leaf fiber (PVA/DPL) biocomposites were prepared by the melt mixing fabrication technique with various proportions of fibers. DPL fibers were chemically modified with the purpose of improving the dispersion and better compatibility with PVA matrix. Different chemical processes of modification were adopted and the tensile strengths of both treated and untreated fibers were compared. It was noticed that the tensile strength of acrylic acid treated fiber was optimum in comparison to other methods. The interaction of DPL fibers with PVA matrix were studied by Fourier transforms infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) was used to study the morphology of biocomposites. The tensile strength, Young's modulus, elongation at break, flexural strength, and impact strength of PVA/DPL biocomposites were investigated and compared with that of virgin PVA matrix. It was found that the above properties were first increased with fiber loading and then decreased. The optimum properties were obtained at 28 wt% of DPL fiber. The storage modulus and tan delta values of PVA/DPL biocomposites were analyzed. The thermal properties of biocomposites were also studied through the results of thermogravimetric (TGA). POLYM. COMPOS., 34:959–966, 2013.