Thermal, structural, and morphological examination of mercerized coir fiber–reinforced composites

Abstract

In recent times, the use of discarded single-use plastics in the manufacture of value-added products has increased drastically. Their use as recycled materials significantly reduce the environmental impact of waste plastic pollution, encourage sustainability, and provide an alternate solution to their disposal. This research also investigates and discusses the use of recycled low-density polyethylene in the form of milk pouches, collapsible tubes, and medicinal strips along with coir fiber as reinforcement for the fabrication of polymer composites. Composites were manufactured by compression molding technique and the effect of fiber surface treatment on the mechanical, morphological and structural characteristics was studied. Thermal stability was also studied by differential scanning calorimetry. It was observed that treating cellulosic fibers with 5% NaOH improved the wettability and interfacial adhesion between the fibers and matrix. Thermal stability was increased and a better mechanical property was achieved. Based on the finding of this research, it was concluded that using recycled plastic could produce a notable reduction in waste accumulation and the composites made by their incorporation also show better mechanical and morphological properties. They proved to be a sustainable and greener solution to the problem of waste management.