MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF THERMOPLASTIC-BASED COMPOSITES BY SURFACE TREATMENT OF LIGNIN BIO-FILLER

Lignocellulosic bio-fillers are a promising new material for composites. They are made from plant materials and have several advantages over traditional fillers, such as being lightweight, high strength, biodegradable, and environmentally friendly. However, one of the challenges in using lignocellulosic bio-fillers is that they can be hydrophilic, which can lead to phase separation when mixed with hydrophobic polymers. This can degrade the mechanical properties of the composites. Surface treatment of the lignocellulosic bio-filler can be used to reduce their hydrophilicity and improve their compatibility with hydrophobic polymers. This can improve the mechanical properties of the composites. In this study, the effect of surface treatment on the mechanical properties of lignocellulosic bio-filler-reinforced thermoplastic composites was investigated. The results showed that surface treatment can significantly improve the mechanical properties of the composites. Chemical treatment was more effective than physical treatment in improving the mechanical properties of the composites. However, the mechanical properties of the composites decreased as the lignin-filler loading increased. The results of this study suggest that surface treatment is an effective method for improving the mechanical properties of lignocellulosic bio-filler-reinforced thermoplastic composites. However, the optimal lignin-filler loading should be carefully considered to achieve the desired mechanical properties.