Poly(ε-caprolactone) composites reinforced with short abaca fibres

The tensile properties of poly(epsilon-caprolactone) (PCL) composites reinforced with short abaca fibres (length ca. 5 mm) prepared by melt mixing and subsequent injection molding were investigated and compared with PCL composites reinforced with glass fibres (GF). The influence of fibre content and surface esterification of the natural fibre on the tensile properties was evaluated. The tensile strength and moduli of all the PCL/abaca composites increased with increasing fibre content. All the PCL/abaca composites had a higher tensile strength than the PCL/GF composites when the fibre weight fraction was the same. The tensile strength of the PCL/abaca composites was improved by surface esterification of the abaca with acetic anhydride or butyric anhydride in the presence of pyridine, because of the increase in the interfacial adhesiveness between the matrix polyester and the esterificated fibre, as is obvious from the SEM photographs.