The Effectiveness Of Alkali Ttreatment And Dispersing Agents In Enhancing The Mechanical Performance Of HDPE/Water Hyacinth Fiber Biocomposites

This study evaluated the effectiveness of alkali treatment and dispersing agents in enhancing the mechanical performance of water hyacinth fiber (WHF)-reinforced High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE) biocomposites. Alkali treatment with NaOH solution improved the bonding between water hyacinth fibers and the HDPE matrix. Meanwhile, dispersing agents were employed to enhance the distribution of fibers within the matrix. The combined effect of alkali treatment and dispersing agents on the mechanical performance of the composites was assessed through tensile, flexural, and impact tests. Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), macrostructure analysis, density measurements, and X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analyses were conducted to provide further insights. The results demonstrated that combining alkali treatment and immersion in a dispersing agent solution for 1 hour (NDA1) produced the best mechanical performance. Compared to untreated fiber-reinforced biocomposites, the tensile strength, flexural strength, and impact strength increased by 32.48%, 27.7%, and 23.9%, respectively.