Insight to the influence of alkali treatment on mechanical and tribological properties of a novel carbon/jute hybrid porcine filled polyester composite

Abstract

Growing environmental concern as a result of increased waste has encouraged a more sustainable and environmentally friendly approach to material creation. With this in consideration, a polyester-based hybrid composite was developed in this research, featuring infill composed of pig bone powder and carbon and jute fiber reinforcement. Tensile strength, impact strength, and specific wear of jute fiber treated with alkali solution with varied sodium hydroxide (NaOH) percentages (0, 5, 10, 15) were investigated. The investigations were carried out in accordance with ASTM guidelines. To examine the effect of alkali treatment on jute fiber, energy dispersion spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy were performed. Following the experiment, the fracture analysis was carried out by examining the scanning electron microscopic pictures of the material. The study discovered that alkali treatment of jute fiber resulted in the elimination of hemicellulose, which considerably adds to the improvement of the composite's performance characteristics. In comparison to the untreated fiber, 15% NaOH-treated composite enhanced tensile strength and specific wear by 35% and 45%, respectively.