Kenaf reinforced biodegradable composite

Published Date
Composites Science and Technology
July 2003, Vol.63(9):1281–1286, doi:10.1016/S0266-3538(03)00099-X
Eco-Composites

• Author 

• Takashi Nishino ^a,,
• Koichi Hirao ^a
• Masaru Kotera ^a
• Katsuhiko Nakamae ^a
• Hiroshi Inagaki ^b

• aDepartment of Chemical Science and Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Kobe University, Rokko, Nada, Kobe 657-8501, Japan
• bJapan Kenaf Association, Azabudai, Minato, Tokyo 106-0041, Japan

Accepted 21 February 2003. Available online 15 May 2003. 

Abstract

Mechanical properties of environmentally friendly composite made of kenaf fibre and poly-l-lactic acid (PLLA) resin was investigated. Young's modulus (6.3 GPa) and the tensile strength (62 MPa) of the kenaf/PLLA composite (fibre content=70 vol.%) were comparable to those of traditional composites. These properties were higher than those of the kenaf sheet and the PLLA film themselves. This is considered to attribute to the strong interaction between the kenaf fibre and PLLA. In addition, the storage modulus of the composite remain unchanged up to the melting point of PLLA. The effects of the molecular weight of PLLA, the orientation of the kenaf fibres in the sheet on the mechanical properties of the composite were also investigated. It was found that kenaf fibre can be a good candidate for the reinforcement fibre of high performance biodegradable polymer composites.

Keywords

B. Mechanical properties

B. Interface

Poly-l-lactic acid

Kenaf (Natural fibre)

Biodegradable composite

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