抄録
This paper describes development and improvement of mechanical properties of environment-friendly composites that was fabricated by reinforcing a polylactic acid (PLA) resin with natural fibers extracted from rice straw. Alkali treatment was performed on rice straw fibers to improve their mechanical properties. Rice straw fibers were dipped into 5 mol/L concentrated sodium hydroxide solutions for 2 h at 30, 60 and 90 degree C. Tensile tests of untreated and alkali treated rice straw fibers were carried out in order to evaluate the effects of treatment temperature conditions of rice straw fibers. The result showed that the tensile strength of the treated fibers decreased in comparison with untreated fibers. In addition, green composites reinforced by untreated and alkali-treated rice straw fibers were fabricated by a vacuum assisted hot press molding method. Three-point flexural tests were carried out for both green composites. The results showed that both flexural strength and maximum displacement of green composites reinforced by alkali-treated rice straw fibers increased in comparison with green composites reinforced by untreated fibers.
