Comparison of Different Hydrophobic Treatments for the Durability Improvement of Palmyra Natural Fiber Composites under Hydrothermal Ageing Environments

ABSTRACT

Experimental and numerical investigations are performed to assess the durability of Palmyra natural fiber composites under hydrothermal ageing conditions. The effect of alkali and stearic acid pretreatments is analyzed on the moisture uptake. The natural fiber composite specimens were subjected to accelerated ageing under water and humidity conditions at controlled temperatures between 0°C-75°C. The 4% stearic acid treatment lead to a remarkable reduction in moisture diffusivity. The coefficient of moisture diffusion of different specimens of is calculated using edge correction factor for rectanguloid specimens. The methods presented here can be used to assess and improve the hydrothermal durability of Palmyra fiber composites.

摘要

对棕榈天然纤维复合材料在水热老化条件下的耐久性进行了实验和数值研究.分析了碱和硬脂酸预处理对水分吸收的影响.将天然纤维复合材料试样在0～75℃的控制温度下，在水和湿度条件下进行加速老化.4%硬脂酸处理可显著降低水分扩散率.利用矩形试样的边缘校正因子计算了不同试样的水分扩散系数.本文提出的方法可用于评价和改善棕榈纤维复合材料的水热耐久性.

KEYWORDS:

• Palmyra natural fibers
• hydrothermal ageing
• fiber pretreatment
• stearic acid treatment
• Alkali treatment
• Microstructural investigations
• Fick’s Law
• coefficient of moisture diffusivity

关键词:

• 棕榈天然纤维
• 水热老化
• 纤维预处理
• 硬脂酸处理
• 碱处理
• 显微结构研究
• 菲克洛杉矶水分扩散系数