Abstract:
A growing concern about the global warming involving greenhouse gases emission motivated researcher efforts aiming to promote natural materials less harmful to the environment and the quality of life in our planet. For this reason, the use of lignocellulosic fibers stands as an alternative to replace synthetic fibers. A diversity of them have already been investigated such jute, sisal, flax, hemp, cotton and other variety of fibers and even applied as reinforcement in polymeric matrices in automobile components, for instance. However, theses natural fibers present certain drawbacks. Specially one of them is relative to their low thermal stability, which results on a limitation to their composites reflecting on a limitation to their composites. The present work has been dedicated to analyze a scientifically new ligocellulosic fiber for engineering applications known as seven-islands-sedge (Cyperus malaccensis Lam.) in Brazil where it has an exclusive cultivation in the region of Vale do Ribeira, São Paulo. Concerning to find how it behaves at high temperatures, the seven-islands-sedge fiber was subjected to a thermogravimetric analysis, as well as for composites reinforced with 10, 20 and 30 vol%. It was observed that the T onset of thermal degradation occurs at 256°C for the seven-islands-sedge fiber and on the range of 292 to 301°C for its composites.