A Novel Study on Thermal Stability of Camphor Soot Reinforced Coir Fibers

Abstract

Thermoplastics, reinforced with lignocellulosic fibers are usually processed at lower temperatures ranging from 100 °C to 160 °C. Further increase in temperature leads to the degradation of the fibers mechanical properties. Camphor soot reinforced coir fibers (CSRCF) based on the osmosis technique were prepared, in this study. Parameters using Design of Experiments (DOE) varied and the process is investigated for varied camphor soot concentrations (0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt. %), time (4, 8 and 12 hrs.) and temperature (30, 40 and 50 °C) with three levels for each parameter (L9 Orthogonal array). Relative camphor soot content in the coir fiber (RCSCF) and tensile strength are vital objective functions. Tensile tests were conducted on tensometer according to DOE, and based on analysis of variance (ANOVA). The optimal results from ANOVA were established by charting the main effect plots. The optimal combination of parameters for CSRCF were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared radiation (FTIR). Further, scanning electron microscope (SEM) equipped with an energy dispersion spectroscope (EDS) examined and compared neat fibers. The results showed a considerable increase in tensile strength by about 37 % for CSRCF compared to neat fibers. XRD revealed that crystallinity index was slightly reduced for modified fibers. The TGA result reveals that thermal stability of the modified fibers improved by 15 % compared to neat fibers. FTIR analysis revealed that modified fibers experienced peak diminishing in OH, CH stretching and carbonyl groups. The Morphology study of neat and CSRCF were examined using SEM with EDS analysis which revealed 94 % carbonaceous compounds in a cross examination of modified fibers compared to the cross section of a neat coir fiber (64 %).