Abstract

Sisal fibers have taken special focus by material investigators and commercial environment because they are economical, biodegradable and lightweight(1). Composite manufactured using natural fibers can supply properties that can be compared to other composites reinforced with synthetic fibers, as previous studies have shown (2-6). Thus, fibers that come from nature sources, such as wood, nuts fruit, jute, kenaf, hemp, sisal, etc. are being introduced in composite manufacturing (7-9). Sisal fiber has relevant economical and ecological properties (10), but it is a lignocelulosycal fiber with hydrophylic character, so it is difficult its usage with hydrophobic matrix, and it is required to use coupling agents in order to improve its interface adhesion. This work starts with sisal fibers submitted to different types of primary treatments, and for each one of these treatments, sisal fibers are submitted to secondary treatments of maleinization, mercerization, silanization, formation of nascent surface isocyanates, carboxylation and methacrylate treatment. The efficiency of these treatments has been evaluated using morphology characterization techniques by FTIR-ATR, electronic microscopy (SEM). With some of the treated fibers, thermoplastic composites have been prepared and these have been used to prepare standard probes that have been thermally and mechanically tested, as well as other additional interesting physicochemical characteristics.