Polylactic Acid/Empty Fruit Bunch Fiber Biocomposite:Influence of Alkaline and Silane Treatment on the Mechanical Properties

Biocomposite were prepared by combiningpolylactic acid (PLA)with treated or untreated empty fruitbunch (EFB) fiber by melt compounding method to observe theeffects of fiber surface treatments on the mechanical propertiesof the biocomposite. Surface treatment of the fiber wasconducted using alkali followed by silane treatment. It wasfound that treated fibers showed superior mechanicalproperties of the reinforced biocomposite as compared withuntreated fiber reinforced biocomposites due to the enhancedadhesion between the EFB fiber and the PLA matrix.