Impact of Fiber Morphology and Content on the Thermal Stability, and Mechanical Performance of Maple Wood Fiber‐Polypropylene Composites

ABSTRACT In recent years, natural‐fiber‐reinforced polymers have gained significant attention due to their sustainability and enhanced properties. This study used Canadian maple wood fiber as reinforcement in a polypropylene (PP). Fiber length and fiber content are known as key factors affecting the properties of the composites. To investigate the effects of fiber length and fiber content on thermal, mechanical, and morphological properties, samples with 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% fiber content and fiber lengths of 50, 75, and 100 μm were prepared. The DSC results indicated that adding fibers altered the exothermic and endothermic peaks, increased melting points, and decreased crystallization points, with fiber content having a more significant impact than fiber length. TGA showed that fiber reinforcement led to lower thermal stability at lower temperatures but higher stability at elevated temperatures. The tensile tests revealed that increasing fiber content up to 15% improved strength, while a further increase to 20% resulted in a decrease in strength. These results were repeated for the impact test, and the composites containing 20% by volume of fiber showed the lowest impact strength. SEM analysis showed that beyond a certain fiber content, fiber accumulation occurred, negatively affecting mechanical properties.