The growing interest in natural fiber-reinforced polymer composites is driven by their sustainability and enhanced mechanical properties. In Bangladesh, the unchecked proliferation of water hyacinth has become a significant environmental issue, altering the pH and salinity of aquatic ecosystems. This study explores the potential of untreated and chemically treated water hyacinth fibers as reinforcement in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) composites. The untreated water hyacinth (UWH) was subjected to alkali treatment to produce mercerized water hyacinth (MWH), then oxidation to produce oxidized water hyacinth (OWH). The structural modifications of UWH, MWH, and OWH were confirmed through ATR-FTIR spectroscopy. Composites were fabricated by embedding UWH and OWH fibers into PVA at varying concentrations (0.50, 1.00, 2.5, and 5.0 wt%) via compression molding. Composites with 1 % OWH exhibited the best performance, showing a 127 % increase in tensile strength, 162 % increase in elongation, and 28 % reduction in water absorption compared to UWH-PVA and pure PVA. The improved performance of OWH-PVA composites is attributed to enhanced fiber–matrix adhesion. Thermogravimetric analysis confirmed thermal stability, and Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations supported the chemical modifications observed experimentally. These results highlight the potential of water hyacinth fibers as a sustainable reinforcement material for PVA-based composites.
扫码关注我们
求助内容:
应助结果提醒方式:
