Thermal stability of water fibers: effect of the alkaline treatment - aminopropyltrimetoxysilane [Estabilidad termica de fibras de aguaje: efecto del tratamiento alcalino – aminopropiltrimetoxysilano]

Abstract

The present research evaluated the influence of the concentration of sodium hydroxide and aminopropyltrimethoxysilane on the thermal stability of the aguaje fibers. The fibers were extracted by manual immersion in water and subsequent separation by manual pressure. The NaOH concentrations were 5%, 10% and 15% w / v; while in the case of the silane coupling agent they were 1% and 1.5% v / v. The chemically treated fibers together with the control samples were subjected to thermogravimetric analysis evaluation, in addition, the variation of the humidity percentage, the chemical variation of the main functional groups of the fibers and the surface physical changes of the fibers were determined in a complementary way. The mercerization - silanization treatments increase the thermal degradation temperature of the aguaje fibers, in the conditions tested this increase was 3.89% in the best of cases (5% NaOH + 1.0 Silane). Regarding untreated fibers, mercerization - silanization treatments decrease the percentage of lost mass or degradation, in the best of cases this decrease in mass percentage was 26.85% (15% NaOH + 1.5 Silane), compared to fibers without treatment. Finally, mercerization-silanization treatments increase the percentages of cellulose present in the aguaje fibers evaluated, while the amount of extractives and lignin decrease, under the chemical treatment conditions carried out in the present research.