Mechanical Properties of Polylactide Matrix Composite Reinforced with Long Maize Stalk Fibers

Abstract

The aim of presented study was to investigate the effect of using long rotation maize stalk fibers as filler on the mechanical and thermomechanical properties of an injection molded biocomposite with a polylactide matrix using different fiber percentages. To evaluate the effect of maize stalk particle reinforcement on the PLA matrix, the mechanical properties of the biocomposites including tensile strength, tensile modulus, relative strain at maximum stress, strain at break, stress at break and Charpy unnotched impact strength were determined. From a mechanical point of view, the best fiber content was at 15% as it caused the least reduction in strain at break, stress at break, and strain at maximum stress relative to the polylactide matrix.