Mechanical and biodegradation analysis under various environmental conditions of the waste vetiver root fiber reinforced soy composite

Abstract

To address the difficulty posed by non‐biodegradable thermoplastics, scientists are focusing on solid waste management research. Waste vetiver root fibers reinforced in polymerized soy matrix biomass composites were fabricated and tested for biodegradability and sustainability in different natural decomposing conditions like seawater aging and fungal and termite attacks. This study reports and compares the dimensional changes caused by these attacks, as well as the moisture absorption of vetiver‐soy and alkali‐treated vetiver‐soy composites at different relative humidity. After‐degradation characterizations included Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and SEM examinations, as well as weight loss, which gave additional insights into the degradation mechanism. The tensile strength of degraded samples decreased as the degradation duration increased. Mechanical properties like Izod impact strength, dynamic mechanical analysis and moisture absorption also provided insights into the structural firmness of the fabricated composite. This research contributes to a better knowledge of the bio‐deterioration process of cellulosic vetiver‐soy biocomposites under various situations, and to check their functionality in furniture and packaging industries. © 2024 Society of Chemical Industry.