Statistical determination of mechanical strength of talipot palm fiber using Weibull distribution

Abstract

Talipot palm tree (Coryphe umbraculifera) is a plant species of eastern–southern countries. Like other palm species, talipot palm fiber exhibits potential as a reinforcement in polyester composites. Due to the unevenness present in the fiber body, natural fibers show different values for the same mechanical property across their length. Due to these scattered data, the calculation of the tensile properties of natural fiber using traditional methods is not adequate. This research aims to statistically estimate the ultimate tensile strength of talipot palm fiber, both untreated and treated with chemicals. The data have been fitted using a two-parameter Weibull distribution model. Kolmogorov–Smirnov test and Anderson–Darling test are used to check the goodness of fit of the empirical distribution. Alkalization, acetylation, and benzylation treatments were carried out for three different chemical concentrations (5, 10, and 15 wt%). X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis and FTIR spectroscopy were done to ensure the effect of chemical treatments. The tensile strength of raw talipot palm fiber has been assessed at five distinct lengths (10, 15, 20, 25, and 30 mm). 10 mm raw palm fiber exhibited the highest tensile strength of 321.13 MPa, while 30 mm raw palm fiber showed the lowest tensile strength of 237.35 MPa. The 10% NaOH-treated talipot palm fiber had the highest tensile strength of 462.47 MPa, whereas the 5% benzylated talipot palm fiber displayed the lowest tensile strength of the treated fibers.