Effect of soil biodegradation on tensile and physical properties of coir/pineapple leaf fibre reinforced poly lactic acid hybrid biocomposites

Abstract

Natural fibre and biopolymer based biocomposites are getting rising consideration owing to their renewability and biodegradation properties. In order to observe the behavior of these biocomposites in outdoor applications, its environmental reaction properties such as soil biodegradation need to be analyzed. In this study coir fibres (CF) and pineapple leaf fibres (PALF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) hybrid biocomposites (CF/PALF/PLA), pure PLA, pure CF (C30) and PALF (P30) biocomposites were fabricated through heat compounding and hot pressing methods. Effect of soil biodegradation on the tensile properties of PLA, CF and PALF biocomposites, and hybrid biocomposites were assessed and evaluated by Soil Burial tests. Tensile samples of all biocomposites undergoes soil burial test for 60 and 90 days at natural condition. After the subjected period, the results indicated that there is reduction in weight, tensile strength and modulus values of biocomposites owing to lignin degradation and fibre–matrix bonds.