Bio‐composites for structural applications: Poly‐l‐lactide reinforced with long sisal fiber bundles

Fully bio‐based and biodegradable composites were compression molded from unidirectionally aligned sisal fiber bundles and a polylactide polymer matrix (PLLA). Caustic soda treatment was employed to modify the strength of sisal fibers and to improve fiber to matrix adhesion. Mechanical properties of PLLA/sisal fiber composites improved with caustic soda treatment: the mean flexural strength and modulus increased from 279 MPa and 19.4 GPa respectively to 286 MPa and 22 GPa at a fiber volume fraction of V_f = 0.6. The glass transition temperature decreased with increasing fiber content in composites reinforced with untreated sisal fibers due to interfacial friction. The damping at the caustic soda‐treated fibers‐PLLA interface was reduced due to the presence of transcrystalline morphology at the fiber to matrix interface. It was demonstrated that high strength, high modulus sisal‐PLLA composites can be produced with effective stress transfer at well‐bonded fiber to matrix interfaces. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40999.