7000 years ago, miswak fiber (MF) was used as a toothbrush for oral care. However, since the emergence of plastic materials, it monopolized the oral care industry. The increment of plastic products also promotes accumulation of plastic wastes after its disposal. Thus, many researchers have turn to biodegradable products to reduce this problem. The aim of this study is to investigate the chemical, physical, and mechanical properties of MF as reinforcement in composites that are suitable to replace the toothbrush materials. The MF was reinforced in PLA composite with different weight percentage (0%, 10%, 20%, and 30%) and undergoes several types of testing. The chemical results show that there were high presence of cellulose in the fiber which could act as medium to transfer stress load equally from fiber to matrix. However, the results show low cellulosic contents in MF that affects the poor interfacial bonding between fiber and matrix. Physical properties shows a positive indication to be used as a toothbrush handle. As the fiber content increases, the density also increased. SEM micrographic illustrated the presence of voids as the cause for reduction in mechanical properties of composites. The mechanical results show the proposed material is comparable to the materials used in commercial applications. As for the thermal result, the TGA test melting point of the proposed composite material was comparable to the pure PLA, which means the proposed material can use similar processing temperature as PLA. DSC shows that Tg of PLA/MF composite is found to be similar to Tg in loss modulus of composites. DMA finding found that PLA/MF30 have the highest storage modulus 2062 MPa and the lowest tan δ 0.6 among PLA/MF composites. This concludes that there is a possibility of using these materials as an alternative in composites and increase the fiber strength by using pretreatments and/or compatibilizer.
This study examines the effects of alkaline treatment on the mechanical and thermal properties of miswak fiber-reinforced polylactic acid. The treatment was performed with three distinct concentrations of sodium hydroxide (NaOH): 1 wt %, 2 wt %, and 3 wt %. The difficulties of interaction between the surface of the fiber and the matrix, which led to this treatment, is caused by miswak fiber’s hydrophilic character, which impedes its ability to bind with hydrophobic polylactic acid. FTIR, tensile, TGA, and DMA measurements were used to characterize the composite samples. A scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to examine the microstructures of many broken samples. The treatment is not yet especially effective in enhancing interfacial bonding, as seen by the uneven tensile strength data. The effect of the treated fiber surface significantly improves the tensile strength of miswak fiber-reinforced PLA composites. Tensile strength improves by 18.01%, 6.48%, and 14.50%, respectively, for 1 wt %, 2 wt %, and 3 wt %. Only 2 wt %-treated fiber exhibits an increase of 0.7% in tensile modulus. The modulus decreases by 4.15 % at 1 wt % and by 19.7% at 3 wt %, respectively. The TGA curve for alkali-treated fiber composites demonstrates a slight increase in thermal stability when compared to untreated fiber composites at high temperatures. For DMA, the composites with surface treatment have higher storage moduli than the composite with untreated miswak fiber, especially for the PLA reinforced with 2 wt % alkali miswak fiber, proving the effectiveness of the treatment.
As the demand for renewable, cost-effective, and environmentally acceptable materials in a variety of applications has developed, natural fibres have become more popular as reinforcement in composite materials. Salvadora persica L. is the most common traditional source of chewing stick (miswak) advised by Prophet Muhammad. It is also known as Arak in Arabic and Peelu in Urdu. A lot of research has been done in the last few years to investigate if its traditional applications in dental care are still valid. For this review, a variety of databases (Science Direct, PubMed, Wiley Online Library, and Google Scholar), books and primary sources were examined, surveyed, and analysed. Miswak fibre qualities and attributes were addressed in this review study to evaluate if the fibre may be used as an alternative to natural fibre reinforcing in composites. The history and uses of the miswak tree, as well as the structure of the miswak tree, are presented first, followed by a discussion of fibre characterization, with a focus on fibre structure and composition. Finally, the effect of miswak on the physical, mechanical, and thermal properties of composites is discussed. Miswak fibre and its composites present considerable challenges and potential as a reinforcement or filler alternative in a variety of applications, including dentistry.
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