ABSTRACT
Natural fibres have been used as reinforcement in a polymer matrix. One of the major challenges is incompatibility with matrices. In this study, Calotropis procera plant bast fibres were extracted from stems using the decortication method. First, the samples were treated in varied alkaline solution concentrations of sodium hydroxide for different durations of treatment time. Second, the samples were subjected to microwave treatment at various power levels for different duration of treatment time. Fibres with optimum tensile properties were used with polylactic acid (PLA) matrix to fabricate biocomposite materials. Both alkaline-treated and microwave-treated samples showed a significant increase in tensile properties and decrease in fibre linear density when compared with untreated samples. Alkaline treatment 5 w/v% solution for 1 hour and microwave irradiation with 231Watts for 4 minutes treatment period were optimum for fibres modification. Tensile strength and tensile modulus of PLA/alkaline-treated-CPBF and PLA/microwave-treated-CPBF improved by 34.27% and 20.46% and by 21.22% and 15.54%, respectively.
