Effects of alkali treatment on modification of the Pinus fibers

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of the alkalization with different concentrations and time combination in the modification of lignin, hemicellulose and cellulose in pine fibers and determine the best combination aiming the incorporation in plant-based composites. The alkalization process was conducted with 5 concentrations (5, 10, 15, 20, and 30%) and 2 exposure times (2 and 24 hours). Chemical analysis was performed, and cellulose crystallinity, thermal stability, and surface modification were analyzed for the treated fibers. The results showed that there was a reduction in crystallinity with cellulose I – II transformation. Thereafter, the thermal stability and surface characteristics were increased with the increase of the NaOH concentration. Although all treatments altered the fiber properties, the condition that resulted in technical gain was the condition with 5% concentration and 2 hours of alkalization. Thus, we can conclude that this condition changes the macromolecular structure of the wood fibers, change the surface and the treat fiber could be used as filler to plant-base composite. Keywords: Lignocellulosic fibers; Alkalization; Thermal stability; Cellulose crystallinity; Macromolecules.