Mechanical and Thermal Behavior of Hemp-Reinforced Starch/Agar Biocomposites: Insights from Finite Element Simulation and Machine Learning Models

The increasing effects of plastic pollution have led to the study of eco-friendly and biodegradable alternatives. The present study concerns the production and characterization of biocomposite films from starch, agar, and alkaline/peroxide-treated hemp fiber powder. In total, nine films were fabricated with variable ratios of starch-agar (0, 0.5, and 0.75) and hemp fiber (0, 15, and 30 wt.%). The physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of these films were evaluated. Tensile tests demonstrated that adding 30% hemp fiber increased Young's modulus, while 15% fiber decreased tensile strength. In the SAH group, adding 1.5 g of agar significantly improved tensile strength and Young's modulus, especially in the SAH30 sample. Finite element simulations of tensile tests showed remarkable agreement with experimental data. Machine learning models (SVM and GP) were used to predict tensile strength, with the SVM model using the RBF kernel showing the highest accuracy (R² = 0.938). Impact tests indicated that resistance was improved by agar, with the SAH group showing optimal stress distribution and energy absorption. Steady-state and transient thermal analyses showed that hemp fiber increased thermal resistance, and heat stress depended mainly on composition, especially agar and fiber. This research accentuates the potential of hemp fiber and agar to improve the properties of starch-based films and thereby opens routes toward sustainable material development.