Abstract
This study seeks to investigate the influence of Date Palm Fibers (DPFs) length on the physical, mechanical, and morphological properties of epoxy bio-composite materials. Two types of fibers were employed to enhance the bio-composites. The initial category comprised Short Date Palm Fibers (SDPF), whereas the subsequent category encompassed Semi Long Date Palm Fibers (LDPF). Apparent density and tensile tests were performed to evaluate the impact of these fibers on the epoxy matrix. LDPF markedly improved the apparent density, modulus of elasticity, and maximum stress of the bio-composite materials, resulting in enhancements of 42.08%, 65.17%, and 74.20%, respectively, relative to SDPF bio-composites. Further validation of these findings was achieved via Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), which demonstrated improved fiber-matrix adhesion and increased homogeneity in the LDPF bio-composite materials. Furthermore, no cavities were detected on the fracture surface. The results demonstrate that Semi Long Date Palm Fibers (LDPF) are superior to Short Date Palm Fibers (SDPF) in enhancing epoxy matrices. This results in improved physical and mechanical characterization in applications employing bio-composite materials.
Highlights
Increasing fiber length leads to clear improvements in both physical and mechanical characterization of the bio-composites.
Semi Long Date Palm Fibers (LDPF) outperform Short Date Palm Fibers (SDPF) in apparent density, modulus of elasticity, and maximum stress.
LDPF enhances fiber–matrix adhesion, leading to improved cohesion and greater structural uniformity within the epoxy matrix.
Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) confirms stronger bonding and more consistent morphology in bio-composite materials with LDPF.