Beschreibung:
<jats:p>Natural fibers have advantages over that of synthetic fibers such as biodegradability, low densities, and low cost of production. Optimum interfacial bonding is crucial since it determines the mechanical properties of a polymer-based composite materials. Surface treatment needs to be performed prior to the composites fabrication in order to improve the interfacial bonding. Coating application is an environmentally friendly alternative to the conventional methods of fiber treatments. In this research, the mechanical properties such as tensile (37.1 per cent increase), flexural strengths (61.7 per cent increase) and hardness (31.4 per cent less prone to surface indentation) of rice straw reinforced Polylactic acid composite at 10 wt% fiber and 90 wt% polymer after fiber treatments are analyzed through fabrication and testing. The fiber treatments involved are alkali treatment, heating treatment and coating. The results showed observable increase in tensile, flexural strengths and hardness for alkali treatment, heat treatment. However, from coating process, there is only slight increase in all the mechanical tests. These results have inferred that heat treatment has the highest improvement in mechanical properties, followed by alkalization and then comes coating.</jats:p>