PHYSICAL TREATMENT OF

THE NATURAL FIBERS

GOKUL R
2020508015
Physical treatment:
• Physical treatments (i.e. plasma, corona, ultraviolet (UV),
heat treatments electron radiation and fibre beating) have
been also used to modify the surface of natural fibers for
their use in green composites .
• These treatments improve the adhesion between the fibre
and matrix by changing the surface properties of the fibres
without changing their structural composition .
• However, physical treatments are more expensive compared
to chemical ones, mainly because of the equipment involved
in the surface modification processes.
Plasma Treatment:
• The plasma treatment is a technique that modifies the
surface of natural fibres through a gas ionization
process.
• Several gases can be used, such as oxidizing gases
(H2O, O2 and N2O), inert gases (Ar or He), active
gases (NH3) which generate amino groups and
polymerizing gases (monomer gases for direct
polymerization, Ar or He pre-treated).
• Plasma treatment can be carried out under
atmospheric pressure and vacuum pressure and at
low and high temperatures.
• However, for natural fibers low temperatures are preferred
because of the flammable constituents of the natural fibres.
• It was showed that plasma treatment induces surface
etching which improve the surface roughness of the fibre
and result in a better interface with the matrix through
mechanical interlocking.
• In addition, it can introduce various functional groups on the
natural fibre surface, which form strong covalent bonds with
the matrix, thus resulting in strong fibre–matrix interface.
• An important factor to be considered in plasma treatment is
the exposure time, since the longer the exposure period, the
higher the possibility of the fibre surface to suffer
degradation and damage.
 Corona Treatment:
• Corona treatment is a surface modification technique that
uses plasma generated by the application of a high voltage to
sharp electrode tips separated by quartz and causes the
formation of electromagnetic fields that oxidize the surfaces
of the fibres.
• The corona discharge produces chemical and physical
changes of fibres as well as increased surface polarity (due to
increased carboxyl and hydroxyl groups) and increased fibre
roughness.
• However, this treatment has some disadvantages, such as
the low depth of penetration of the electrical discharge and
the difficulty to be applied to three-dimensional surfaces
including natural fibres .
• On the other hand, the great advantage in relation to the
other physical treatments, mainly plasma treatment, is the
fact that the process has low cost and energy consumption,
as do not need vacuum chambers for low temperatures.
• Gassan and Gutowski used corona plasma to treat jute fibres
to be used in epoxy composites. The treatments increased
the polarity of fibres but decreased fibre strength and
tenacity leading to reduced composite strength with corona
treatment.
• Oudrhiri et al. treated aloe vera fibres with corona discharge
during 5, 10 and 15 min. and observed the degradation of
fibres due to etching mechanism caused by corona.
Ultraviolet Treatments:
• The ultraviolet treatment is a technique that uses
electromagnetic radiation ranging from 100 to 400
nm.
• The process causes chemical changes (C–C, C–O, C–F,
C–Si) in the surface of the natural fibres and promotes
the cleaning of fatty acids, waxes and other
constituents exposed on the fibre surface.
• The main advantage of this technique is its simplicity,
low investment and versatility when compared to
other physical treatments.
• Benedetto et al. investigated the effects of UV
irradiation on banana composites for 7 and 15
days. They found better mechanical and thermal
properties of the composites.
• Gassan and Gutowski used UV to treat jute fibres
and found 30% increase in the flexural strength
of composites.
Thermal Treatments:
• Thermal treatment is one of the physical methods which involves
heating of the natural fibre between the temperatures 100 and
200°C.
• This process reduces the moisture content, and the
lignocelluloses bundles are detached into single filaments.
• By heating the fibres at moderate temperatures, the crystallinity
of the fibre also increases.
• The thermal treatment can increase the physical adhesion
between the fibres and the matrix and also increase the
mechanical properties of the composites.
• However, longer thermal exposure can alter the chemical and
physical compositions which may be prejudicial for the
composites properties.
Ultrasound Treatment:
• Ultrasound has been defined as very high frequencies of sound,
above 20 kHz .
• Generally used for medical and diagnostic purposes, the use of
ultrasound has also been tried for cellulosic fibers.
• Laine et al. studied the influence of ultrasonic irradiation at 23 kHz on
the physical and chemical properties of pulp fibers, reporting an
increase in the fiber wall porosity and a slight increase in the carbonyl
group content of the fibers due to the oxidation of carbohydrate
hydroxyls.
• Although ultrasound at lower frequencies produces more violent
cavitation, the effects are highly localized. On the other hand,
cavitation is less violent at higher frequencies owing to shortened life
time of cavitation bubbles.
Gamma radiation:
• Gamma radiation treatment is made by depositing energy on
the plant fiber in the composite and radicals were produced
on the cellulose chain by hydrogen and hydroxyl abstraction,
ruptures of some carbon-carbon bonds and chain scission.
Peroxide radicals are generated when matrix polymers are
irradiated in the presence of oxygen.
• By the help of the active sites which gamma radiation
produced in fiber and matrix, better bonding between the
filler and polymer matrix was obtained. The mechanical
strength of the composite was improved consequently .
Examples:
1. Composite- Flax-polyethylene
Treatment: Plasma treatment (30 mtorr and 1 min at 30W.)
Effects: Plasma treated fibres presented a considerably improved
tensile strength and Young’s modulus (tensile strength and Young’s
modulus increased by 18.6% and 32%, respectively.
2. Composite- Jute-epoxy
Treatment: Corona discharge (40-100 W, 10–88 cm/min)
UV (53 mm focal point; 80 W)
Effects: Flexural strength was negatively impacted by the
corona treatment. However, the UV treatment presented an increase of
up to 30%.
3. Composite – Aloe vera
Treatment: Corona discharge (10 kV, 10 kHz, 1μs pulse)
5, 10 and 20 min treatment time.
Effects: Mechanical properties were negatively
impacted by the treatment.
4. Composite – Banana-epoxy
Treatment: UV (7 and 15 days)
Effects: The 7 day case presented significant increases
in tensile strength and modulus. However, the 10 day
case presented negative effects.
References:
• Woodhead Publishing Series in Composites
Science and Engineering “Fiber Technology for
Fiber-Reinforced Composites” .

• “Green Composites” Sabu Thomas . Preetha

Balakrishnan Editors