Cellulose acetate (CA) is widely used as an alternative to conventional plastics because of the minor environmental impact of its decomposition cycle. This study synthesized five-layer environmentally friendly composites from CA bioplastic and basalt fibers (BFs) to produce a high-strength marine-biodegradable polymer. Maleic anhydride-grafted polypropylene (PP-g-MAH) was mixed with CA as a surface-active agent (SAA) to understand the effect of surface treatment on the mechanical properties of the composite. Tensile tests and scanning electron microscopy were conducted to observe the fracture surfaces. The ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of the BF/CA composite increased by approximately a factor of 4 after adding 11 vol.% unidirectional BF. When the SAA was added, the UTS of the composite with 11 vol.% BF was multiplied by a factor of about 7, which indicates that the surface treatment has a significant positive effect on the mechanical properties. However, the improvement is not apparent when the added BFs are in a plain weave with a vertical orientation. A photodecomposition experiment was then conducted by adding TiO2. Observing the UTS changes of the CA and BF/CA composites, the effect of the photocatalyst on the decomposition of the materials was explored.
Keywords: environmental degradation; mechanical testing; natural fibers; polymer matrix composites (PMCs); strength.