Synthesis and Characterization of Composites from Phoenix dactylefera L. Fibers

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-1948171/v1

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Synthesis and Characterization of Composites from Phoenix dactylefera L. Fibers

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-1948171/v1

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Date palm (Phoenix dactylefera L.) fibers, which are natural wastes, have been recovered and exploited in the synthesis of composite materials by mixing them with two different polymers: polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polystyrene (PS). The four samples were characterized using infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water absorption rate (W) measurements, thermal conductivity (λ), and mechanics (tensile stress and stretching at break) testing. The results proved that: (i) At 40°C, the composites absorption rate was higher than at the room temperature. While this rate was better for the composites with non-alkali-treated fibers; (ii) to obtain a thermally insulating composite, polystyrene polymer should be added to the matrix and the alkaline treatment of the used vegetable fibers should be required. (iii) Composites made of non-alkali treated fibers have a high stretching at break values while composites made of alkali-treated fibers have a high tensile stress value.

Phoenix dactylefera L.fibers

polyvinyl chloride

polystyrene

composite

A composite material is an assembly of at least two immiscible components, whose properties complement each other [1‏]. This phenomenon, which makes it possible to improve the quality of the material when faced with a certain use, explains the increasing use of composite materials in various industrial sectors: The automotive, marine, sporting and infrastructure industries and many other fields are among the most important applications of composite materials [2‏].

The composite material consists of a matrix (Thermoset Resins : epoxy, phenolics, polyesters, vinylesters, cyanate esters, Bismaleimide (BMI) and Polyimide, Polyurethane ; Thermoplastic Resins: Nylons, Polypropylene (PP), Polyetheretherketone (PEEK), Polyphenylene Sulfide (PPS) ) and a filler (ie. vegetable fibers)[3‏‏].

The palm tree grows in the Algerian desert in very significant numbers, and it is the source of large quantities of date fruits. It is also a natural source that annually produces significant quantities of cellulosic fibers (Fig. 1) that do not find an opportunity for industrial exploitation. Rather, they are thrown into nature to cause pollution and the growth of fungi or are burned to produce environmental toxins of carbon dioxide [4].

As a proposed solution in this paper, we preferred to use these fibers only to prove that they can have a significant industrial use: (i) It would produce new materials with improved properties and (ii) reduce environmental pollution resulting from the throwing away of this type of natural waste.

II.1. Collection and grinding of fibers

The fibers were collected from date palm trees in the Oued Souf region, southeastern Algeria. After drying in the shade and cleaning (washing with water), the leaflets were shredded and ground [5].

II.2. Date palm fiber's treatment

The grinded fibers were treated in five steps as shown in Fig. 2:

II.3. Preparation of composite samples

The different composite samples in solution form were prepared as follows:

In a beaker, 4 g of Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) polymer were dissolved in 20 ml of solvent (cyclohexanone), the dissolution is carried out at room temperature and with contained stirring until a homogeneous solution is obtained. The same steps are followed for the preparation of the recycled polystyrene PS. The compositions of the various composite samples are summarized in Table 1.

Table 1

The composition of the different composite materials prepared
Composite samples	PVC weight (g)	PS weight (g)	Fiber weight (g)	Fiber nature
1	4	0	2	Untreated fibers (extracted by ethanol)
2	4	0	2	Fibers treated with NaOH
3	2	2	2	Untreated fibers (extracted by ethanol)
4	2	2	2	Fibers treated with NaOH

To obtain laminated composites, 10 ml of PVC solution are spread in a kneading dish. Subsequently, a well-determined amount of the fiber with solvent is added, finally we standardize.

II.4. Characterization of the Composites

The functional groups of the composites were obtained with a Thermo Scientific Nicolet Is5 FT-IR Spectrometer. The scanning range was 400–4000 cm^− 1.The water absorption rate W is obtained based on the following method: Cut out a determined piece of mass m_bi of the composite sample, and then immerse it in a beaker containing distilled water at room temperature. At different times (24, 48 and 72 hours), the sample is removed and weighed to obtain its mass after immersion m_ai, (the sample before its weighing is wiped lightly with a cotton paper in order to remove the surface water). The absorption rate W can be calculated according to the following relationship [6]:

\(W=\frac{{m}_{ai}-{m}_{bi}}{{m}_{bi}}\) 1

The thermal conductivity \(\lambda\) was calculated by the comparison between the four composite samples by measuring the thermal resistance based on a non-standard experimental device. The results are easily obtained from the following equations [7]:

\(\lambda =\frac{Qe}{S{\Delta }T}\) 2

Since,

\({R}_{th}=\frac{{\Delta }T}{Q}\) 3

So,

\(\lambda =\frac{e}{{R}_{th}S}\) 4

Where, Q is the amount of heat (flux) (w), S is the sample area (m²), λ is the thermal conductivity (w/mk), ∆T is the temperature difference between the two walls of the sample (in Kelven), e is the thickness of the sample (m) and R_th is the thermal resistance (K/w). The tensile test is carried out by the JINGMI type tensile machine available at the quality control laboratory in the DEHLIBA Plast for plastics processing in the El Oued city. The tensile stress at break \(\delta\) and stretching at break \(\epsilon\) are given as [8]:

\(\delta =\frac{{F}_{max}}{S}\)	5
\(S=e.d\)	6
\(\epsilon =\frac{L-{L}_{0}}{{L}_{0}}\times 100\)	7

Where, δ is the tensile stress (in Mpa), F_max is the force (N), S is the area of the initial cross section of the test piece (mm²), e is the thickness of the sample (mm), d is the diameter of the sample in (mm), ε is the stretching (%), L is the length between marks (mm) and L₀ is the initial length between marks (mm).

III.1. Characterization by FTIR spectroscopy

The alkali treatment of extracted cellulose (Figure 3(a)) decreases the hydrophobic character of fibers presented by a band around 3500 cm^-1 attributed to hydroxyl OH groups [9‏]. The decrease in characteristic band observed around 1630 cm^-1 corresponding to the carbonyl group C = O is because of the hemicellulose removal [10‏,11‏].

The FTIR analysis of different samples is presented by the absorption spectra in Figure 3(b). The CCl and CH₂ absorption bands (asymmetric stretching) as well as the phenyl group (overtones) around 750 cm^-1, 2900cm^-1 and 1700 to 2000cm^-1 respectively [12]. Another characteristic band around 1650 cm^-1 can be attributed to the carbonyl group of cyclohexane; the latter disappears on the spectrum of sample 4, indicating the disappearance of the solvent [13‏, 14‏].

III.2. The water absorption rate

Figure 4 represents the water absorption rate or water content of composite materials samples at room temperature and 40°C, respectively. It is observed that, all the materials absorb water but in a variant way from one to the other, so that, in porous materials such as plant fibers subjected to very high humidity, liquid water can be held by surface tension forces in the capillary spaces between fibers or in cracks on the fiber surface [15, 16, 17‏], the absorption rate is decreased by fiber treatment in alkaline medium. This result is in perfect agreement with those of the analysis by FTIR.

It is also observed that this absorption rate is greater at 40°C than at room temperature, this can be explained by the morphological behavior of the matrices constituting the composite. At 40°C, the chains in the amorphous phase exhibit certain mobility (flexibility), thus, freeing more space (void) for the water molecule [18].

III.4. Study of the thermal conductivity

Figure 5 (a,b) represents the temperature profile at the walls (internal and external) of the composite. It can be seen that the temperature increases and decreases rapidly on the two walls of the samples (flow of 500 watts). PS is a thermoplastic known for its insulation characteristic ; its presence therefore gives the composite this characteristic [19‏].

III.5. Mechanic test study

The results of the tensile stress at break σ test are shown in Figure 6(a), it is observed that the composite 2 whose fiber is treated with NaOH has a higher tensile stress value than that of the composite 1, this can be explained by the effect of the treatment of the fibers which improves the cohesion between the surface of the fiber and the chains of the PVC matrix, which results a certain hardness of the material. Unlike composites 3 and 4, where a second polymer was added, which caused a weak morphological structure of the composite [21‏].

Concerning the stretching at break ɛ test results (Figure 6 (b)), we can easily observe that the composites 1 and 3 have a higher stretching value (up to 60%) indicating the flexible character and of materials. This can be attributed to the poor adhesion between the chains of the two matrices and between the polymer chains and the vegetable fiber.

Date palm fibers, which are wastes that are harmful to the local environment, can be exploited by mixing it with a cheap polymer matrix to obtain composite materials with excellent absorption, thermal and mechanical properties at the lowest costs.

CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

Authors declare, no conflict of interests

Funding

No funding to declare

Author Contribution

A.Boughzel: The principal researcher.

T. Lanez: the thesis supervisor

O. Ben Mya: The manuscript author.

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No competing interests reported.

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Synthesis and Characterization of Composites from Phoenix dactylefera L. Fibers

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Abstract

Figures

I. Introduction

Ii. Exprimentals And Methods

II.1. Collection and grinding of fibers

II.2. Date palm fiber's treatment

II.3. Preparation of composite samples

II.4. Characterization of the Composites

Iii. Results And Discussion

Conclusion

Declarations

References

Additional Declarations

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