Surface Treatment of Pinus Elliottii Fiber and its Application in Composite Materials for Reinforcement of Polyurethane

Pine cone (Pinus elliottii) fiber reinforced polyurethane (PU) composites which can be used in several applications (mechanical part, fiber panel, etc.) were manufactured by compression molding. In particular, the effect of pre-treatment with alkaline solution (4% w/v) was evaluated for 5, 10, 15 and 20 wt.% pine cone fibers. Mechanical testing (flexural) and density were carried out to determine the effect of fiber contents and pre-treatment. The physical and morphological properties of the fibers were examined by XRD and SEM. The results showed that flexural strength and modulus of the composites were influenced by the concentration of fibers, the pre-treatment and the fiber particle size.