Thermal property determination of hybridized kenaf/PALF reinforced HDPE composite by thermogravimetric analysis

This article presents the thermal degradation behavior of hybridized kenaf (bast)/pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) reinforced high density polyethylene (HDPE) composites by thermogravimetric and derivative thermogravimetric analyses (TG/DTG) with respect to the proportions of fiber in the composite, variation in fiber loading and fiber length. It was observed that the thermal decomposition of all the samples had taken place within the scheduled temperature range of 35?C615?°C. For hybrid composites prepared at 40% fiber loading, the initial peak between 236.9 and 331?°C corresponds to a mass loss of between 23 and 26%, and expectedly, PALF composite and 1:1 hybrid composite have the highest mass lost at this point. Main decomposition temperature as revealed from DTG curves occurred around 467?°C for all except composite prepared with 0.75 and 2?mm fiber length. The mass loss at this temperature was between 64.4 and 73.7%. However, at 464.87?°C, around 98% of neat HDPE had already degraded. Decomposition temperature of other composites was a little higher than the temperature at which HDPE concluded decomposition. Kenaf composite on its own showed initial thermal resistance, but above 240?°C, a sharp increase in decomposition occurred with temperature. Interestingly, hybridization took care of this. Kenaf and PALF composite have shown weaker thermal stability compared to neat HDPE at lower temperatures. The introduction of more fiber into the matrix at onset caused the thermal stability of the hybridized composite to decrease. This reduction in thermal stability of the hybrid with increase in fiber loading became obvious after the dehydration process. Decomposition of hybrid composite is directly proportional to increase in fiber loading. However, at 385?°C, where neat HDPE started decomposing, the percentage degradation of the hybrid showed inverse proportionality with increase in fiber loading. As observed, the size of the lignin and hemicelluloses shoulders in DTG curves deepen with increase in fiber loading, an indication of increased presence with increase in fiber loading.