A Review on Surface Modification of Plant Fibers for Enhancing Properties of Biocomposites

Abstract Over the past decade, significant progress has been made in creating environmentally friendly products using natural resources. Plant fibers, also known as lignocellulosic fibers, are hydrophilic due to the interaction and attraction between water molecules and the hydroxyl groups present in their components. The inherent hydrophilicity of plant fibers often prevents them from interacting effectively with hydrophobic polymer matrices. In order to improve the adhesion between plant fibers and the matrix, it is necessary to modify the surface of the fibers. Commonly used chemical processes include mercerization, silane treatment, acetylation, permanganate treatment, acrylation, benzoylation, peroxide treatment, stearic acid treatment, isocyanate treatment and sodium chlorite intervention. The desirability of chemically modifying the surface of plant fibers has declined due to several limitations. Plant fibers can be modified in an environmentally friendly way by various methods, such as plasma therapy and treatments using fungi, enzymes and bacteria. This part provides an analysis of the impact of different environmentally friendly surface modification techniques on the properties of plant fibers and reinforced polymers.