Characterization of mechanical properties of jute/PLA composites containing nano SiO2 modified by coupling agents

Although jute fiber-reinforced PLA composites show strong application prospects, their low mechanical properties limit their applications to some extent. In this paper, nano-SiO₂ particles as well as nano SiO₂ modified by coupling agents which can efficiently improve the strength and toughness of composite materials are introduced into the PLA matrix. The bending, stretching and thermal properties of designed jute/PLA nonwoven composites were studied. The study shows that the nano-SiO₂ particles are beneficial to the interface performance between the PLA matrix and jute leading to improvement in the mechanical properties and thermal stability. Moreover, thermomechanical properties indicate that the addition of SiO₂ can improve the jute/PLA interfacial adhesion and increase the glass transition temperature of the material. Finally, toughening mechanism of nano-SiO₂ particles in the jute/PLA composite was analyzed.