The aim of this study was to assess the effect of various surface treatments on Aloe Vera fibers (AVF) used as reinforcement in PHBHHx biocomposites prepared by melt compounding. AVF were subjected to various surface treatments including alkaline, organo-silanes and combined alkaline/organo-silanes treatments. Both untreated and treated AVF were added to PHBHHx at filler content of 20 wt% and the resulted biocomposites were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), water absorption test and rheological measurements. The study showed that the combined alkaline/organo-silanes treatment of AVF resulted in better morphology and properties of PHBHHx biocomposite compared to untreated AVF and those treated either with alkaline or with organosilanes. Indeed, SEM analysis of the fracture surface of PHBHHx/AVF treated with combined alkaline-organosilanes showed better fiber-matrix interactions compared to the other samples. As a result, rheological properties, i.e., complex viscosity (η*), storage modulus (G′) and loss modulus (G″) were increased. Higher resistance to water absorption was observed for PHBHHx/AVF treated with combined alkaline-organosilanes. Whereas, the various surface fiber treatments led to no noticeable change in thermal characteristics of the biocomposites. This study highlights the effectiveness of combined alkaline/organo-silanes treatment of AVF over alkaline and organo-silanes and their applications in PHBHHx biocomposites as an interesting source of cellulosic reinforcing materials.

这项研究的目的是评估各种表面处理对芦荟纤维（AVF）的影响，芦荟纤维用作通过熔融混合制备的PHBHHx生物复合材料的增强材料。AVF进行了各种表面处理，包括碱性，有机硅烷和碱性/有机硅烷组合处理。将未处理的和处理的AVF均以20 wt％的填料含量添加到PHBHHx中，并使用扫描电子显微镜（SEM），差示扫描量热法（DSC），热重分析（TGA），吸水率测试和流变学测量对所得生物复合材料进行表征。研究表明，与未经处理的AVF以及经碱或有机硅烷处理的AVF相比，AVF的碱性/有机硅烷联合处理可产生更好的PHBHHx生物复合材料的形态和性能。确实，与其他样品相比，用碱金属-有机硅烷组合处理的PHBHHx / AVF的断裂表面的SEM分析显示出更好的纤维-基质相互作用。结果，流变性质，即复数粘度（η*），储能模量（G'）和损耗模量（G''）增加。对于用碱金属有机硅烷混合处理的PHBHHx / AVF，观察到了更高的耐吸水性。然而，各种表面纤维处理导致生物复合材料的热特性没有明显变化。这项研究强调了碱性/有机硅烷联合处理AVF优于碱性和有机硅烷的效果，以及它们在PHBHHx生物复合材料中作为纤维素增强材料的有趣来源的应用。