Effect of fique fibers and its processing by-products on morphology, thermal and mechanical properties of epoxy based biocomposites.

This work examines the morphology, mechanical and thermal properties of biocomposites based on epoxy resin-EP and fique (Furcraea andina), a native crop of South America. The EP-fique biocomposites were prepared using fique powder-FP an industrial waste generated during fique processing, nonwoven fique fiber mats-NWF and unidirectional fique fiber mats-UF oriented at 0° and 90°. The addition of fique into EP matrix restricts EP macromolecule chains movement and enhance the thermal stability of EP.