Structure and mechanical behavior of lignosulfonate-treated piassava ( Attalea funifera ) fibers

[摘要] The use of natural lignocellulosic fiber (NLF) biocomposites for the construction industry has been growingover the years, due to technical and environmental advantages. However, fiber-matrix incompatibility remains amajor challenge. Various surface treatments have been investigated to improve fiber-matrix bonding, includingsodium lignosulfonate (SLS), a potentially effective and environmentally friendly chemical. In this study, SLStreatment protocols were applied to piassava fibers to evaluate their influence on the fibers. ThermogravimetricAnalysis (TG/DTG), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM/EDS), Fourier-transformInfrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), moisture absorption measurements and tensile tests were performed to characterize the modifications. Results demonstrated, for the first time, the efficiency of SLS to remove extractives fromthe piassava surface. In general, partial degradation of the cellulosic structure was observed, noticeable by theslight drop in crystallinity index (from 42.80 to 39.82%), and an increase in the TG residual mass (from 21.35to 31.90%), along with changes in DTG curves. However, a particular SLS treatment using ultrasonic bath wasable to fully clean the surface preserving the cellulosic structure, and increasing the strength of fibers (from 386 ±140 MPa to 524 ± 126 MPa).

[学科分类] 工程和技术（综合）

[关键词] Natural lignocellulosic fiber;Microstructure;Mechanical behavior;Surface treatment