Surface treatment of coir (Cocos nucifera) fibers and its influence on the fibers’ physico-mechanical properties

Coir, an important lignocellulosic fiber, can be incorporated in polymers like polyacrylate in different ways for achieving desired properties and texture. But its high level of moisture absorption, poor wettability and insufficient adhesion between untreated fiber and the polymer matrix lead to debonding with age. In order to improve the above qualities, adequate surface modification is required. In our present work, fiber surface modification by ethylene dimethylacrylate (EMA) and cured under UV radiation. Pretreatment with UV radiation and mercerization were done before grafting with a view to improve the physico-mechanical performance of coir fibers’. The effects of mercerization on shrinkage and fiber weight losses were monitored at different temperature and alkali concentration. We observed that, fiber shrinkage is higher at low temperature and 20% alkali treated coir fibers yielded maximum shrinkage and weight losses. It was found that higher shrinkage of the polymer grafted fiber showed enhanced physico-mechanical properties. The grafting of alkali treated fiber shows an increase of polymer loading (about 56% higher) and tensile strength (about 27%) than 50% EMA grafted fiber. The fiber surface topology and the tensile fracture surfaces were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and were found improved interfacial bonding to the modified fiber–matrix interface.