Enhancing properties and sustainability: Surface modified Cymbopogon flexuosus stem fiber for green composite materials

Abstract

The lignocellulosic fiber has distinct capacities and properties from diverse perspectives. As there is a crucial need for the development of green products, many industries are racing to identify potential fibers for their products. This work focuses first on the property enhancement using chemical modification techniques for Cymbopogon flexuosus stem fiber (CFS), which is extracted from the waste residue of an oil industry. The chemically treated fibers resulted in higher cellulose (77.35%) and lower hemicellulose‐lignin contents (8.36% and 14.5%), which favors composite manufacturing. Morphological analysis on the fiber surface through scanning electron microscope (SEM) and atomic force microscope (AFM) evidenced the surface was rough, and a single fiber tensile test reveals an average tensile strength of 635 ± 4.5 MPa. Further x‐ray diffraction examination verified the existence of semi‐crystalline cellulose with a size of 14.32 nm and a higher crystallinity index of 55.17%. Secondly, to explore fiber prospective qualities against the commercially available bio‐composite, epoxy resin‐based composites were prepared by varying the weight and length of fiber reinforced. The surface‐modified CFS epoxy composite has the highest tensile strength (77.71 MPa), tensile modulus (5.26 Gpa), flexural strength (87.4 MPa), flexural modulus (1.85 GPa), hardness (64 HRRW), and impact strength (9.31 J/cm2). The thermogravimetric analyses were evaluated to assess their weight loss under heat influence. Tensile fractography was also investigated to establish the structure–property relationship between the composite and fiber. Thus, unique fiber was identified as an ecologically benign and economically viable raw material to build lightweight green materials for industrial applications.Highlights Studies explores the potential of CFSF, which is typically an industrial waste. Chemical modification reveals the enhancement of properties. Identifies optimum parameters that enhance composite properties. This aligns with the broader trend of sustainable and green manufacturing.