Global warming solutions in the modern era are centered on substituting environmentally friendly biodegradable materials for fossil fuels to slow down the rate at which they are being depleted. The study literature supports the use of substitute materials for plastics in the creation of composite materials, and this work envisions the use of Calotropis gigantea fruit bunch fiber as one such substitute material. Since Calotropis gigantea fruit bunch fiber is widely available in Bangladesh and has little vegetation value, it was selected for this project. Three chemical pretreatments are applied to the Calotropis gigantea fruit bunch fiber: sodium hydroxide (alkali treatment), hydrogen peroxide (peroxide treatment), and benzoyl chloride (benzoylation). Chemically treated fibers are used to form composites, and their mechanical properties are examined. Compared to all other composites, benzoylated composites have superior tensile, compressive, and impact strengths. It has been shown that the benzoylation increased the composites’ tensile strength by 98.3%, compressive strength by 61.4%, and impact strength by 97.7% when compared to the untreated and benzoylated versions. The composite treated with hydrogen peroxide has more flexural strength than any other composite. A treatment with hydrogen peroxide increased the flexural strength by 44.5%. Hydrogen peroxide treatment increased the composite’s elongation capacity during tension, flexure, and compression tests, despite the composite’s flexural strength being somewhat lower than that of the benzoylated composite. Benzoyl chloride appears to be the most effective chemical treatment when considering overall performance. The surface morphology of the benzoylated composite revealed a few defects.h by 97.7% when compared to the untreated and benzoylated versions. The composite treated with hydrogen peroxide has more flexural strength than any other composite. A treatment with hydrogen peroxide increased the flexural strength by 44.5%. Hydrogen
peroxide treatment increased the composite’s elongation capacity during tension, flexure, and
compression tests, despite the composite’s flexural strength being somewhat lower than that of the
benzoylated composite. Benzoyl chloride appears to be the most effective chemical treatment when
considering overall performance. The surface morphology of the benzoylated composite revealed a
few defects.

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1. Raja T, Devarajan Y. Mechanical and thermal stability of Millettia pinnata fibre-reinforced ZrO₂ nanofiller particulates polyester composite-an experimental study. Biom Convers Bioref. 2023:1–8.
2. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Preparation and evaluation of polypropylene-peanut shell flour eco-friendly composites with and without cloisite 30B. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2022;9:2658–68.
3. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Surface modification of plant-drive Calotropis gigantea fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Prog Appl Sci Technol. 2022;12:23–35.
4. Ramaswamy R, Gurupranes S, et al. Characterization of prickly pear short fiber and red onion peel biocarbon nanosheets toughened epoxy composites. Polym Compos. 2022;43:4899–4908.
5. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Effect of fiber modification on pineapple leaf fiber’s mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2021;9:2818–29.
6. Lyu G, Qiao J, et al. Dynamic mechanical behaviors of a metastable β-type bulk metallic glass composite. J Alloy Compound. 2020;819:153040.
7. Salman SD. Effects of jute fibre content on the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites in structural applications. Def Technol. 2020;16:1098–1105.
8. Shanmugasundaram N, Rajendran I, et al. Characterization of untreated and alkali treated new cellulosic fiber from an areca palm leaf stalk as potential reinforcement in polymer composites. Carbohyd Polym. 2018;195:566–75.
9. Prithivirajan R, Balasundar P, et al. Characterization of cellulosic fibers from Morus alba stem. J Nat Fiber. 2019;16:503–11.
10. Kathirselvam M, Kumaravel A, et al. Characterization of cellulose fibers in Thespesia populnea barks: influence of alkali treatment. Carbohyd Polym. 2019;217:178–89.
11. Ganapathy T, Sathiskumar R, et al. Characterization of raw and alkali treated new natural cellulosic fibres extracted from the aerial roots of banyan tree. Int J Biol Macromol. 2019;138:573–81.
12. Shyam Kumar R, Balasundar P, et al. A new natural cellulosic pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) pod fiber characterization for bio-degradable polymeric composites. J Nat Fiber. 2021;18:1285–95.
13. Prithivirajan R, Narayanasamy P, Al-Dhabi NA, Balasundar P, Shyam Kumar R, Ponmurugan K, Ramkumar T, Senthil S. Characterization of Musa paradisiaca Cellulosic natural fibers from agro-discarded blossom petal waste. J Nat Fiber. 2020;17(11):1640–53.
14. Binoj J, Raj RE, et al. Comprehensive characterization of industrially discarded fruit fiber, Tamarindus indica as a potential eco-friendly bio-reinforcement for polymer composite. J Clean Prod. 2017;142:1321–31.
15. Supian MAF, Amin KNM, et al. Production of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from empty fruit bunch (EFB) via mechanical method. J Environ Chem Engin. 2020;8:103024.
16. Devnani G, Sinha S. African teff straw as a potential reinforcement in polymer composites for light-weight applications: mechanical, thermal, physical, and chemical characterization before and after alkali treatment. J Nat Fiber. 2020;17:1011–25.
17. Balasundar P, Narayanasamy P, et al. Physico-chemical study of pistachio (Pistacia vera) nutshell particles as a bio-filler for eco-friendly composites. Mat Res Expr. 2019;6:105339.
18. Dittenber DB, GangaRao HV. Critical review of recent publications on use of natural composites in infrastructure. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manufact. 2012;43:1419–29.
19. Kabir M, Wang H, et al. Chemical treatments on plant-based natural fibre reinforced polymer composites: an overview. Compos Part B Engin. 2012;43:2883–92.
20. Vinayagamoorthy R, Rajeswari N. Mechanical performance studies on Vetiveria zizanioides/jute/glass fiber-reinforced hybrid polymeric composites. J Reinforce Plast Compos. 2014;33:81–92.
21. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Fabrication and surface modified non-woven Calotropis gigantea fiber mat reinforced polypropylene composites by film stacking method. J Thin Film Coat Sci Technol Appl. 2022;9:1–11.
22. Haque MM-U, Maniruzzaman M, et al. Thermal and tensile mechanical behavior of polystyrene graft acetic anhydride-treated pulque fibers. J Nat Fiber. 2016;13:125–36.
23. Sunija A, Ilango SS, et al. Thespesia populnea reinforced cashew nut husk tannin-based polyurethane composites. J Nat Fiber. 2015;12:481–93.
24. Zaman HU, Khan RA, et al. The improvement of physicomechanical, flame retardant, and thermal properties of lignocellulosic material filled polymer composites. J Thermoplast Compos Mater. 2023;36:1034–50.
25. Babu GD, Babu KS, et al. Tensile and wear behavior of Calotropis gigentea fruit fiber reinforced polyester composites. Proced Engin. 2014;97:531–5.
26. Raji R, Elangomannan S, et al. Calotropis gigantea fiber- a biogenic reinforcement material for europium substituted hydroxyapatite/poly (3, 4-propylenedioxythiophene) matrix: a novel ternary composite for biomedical applications. ACS omega. 2022;7:6024–34.
27. Velusamy K, Navaneethakrishnan P, et al. Experimental investigations to evaluate the mechanical properties and behavior of raw and alkali treated king’s crown (Calotropis gigantea) fiber to be employed for fabricating fiber composite. Appl Mech Mater. 2014;598:73–7.
28. Ramasamy R, Obi Reddy K, et al. Extraction and characterization of Calotropis gigantea bast fibers as novel reinforcement for composites materials. J Nat Fiber. 2018;15:527–38.
29. Zheng Y, Zhu Y, et al. Potential of Calotropis gigantea fiber as an absorbent for removal of oil from water. Indust Crop Prod. 2016;83:387–90.
30. Tu L, Duan W, et al. Calotropis gigantea fiber derived carbon fiber enables fast and efficient absorption of oils and organic solvents. Separat Purific Technol. 2018;192:30–5.
31. Sanjay M, Siengchin S, et al. A comprehensive review of techniques for natural fibers as reinforcement in composites: preparation, processing and characterization. Carbohyd Polym. 2019;207:108–21.
32. Senthamaraikannan P, Kathiresan M. Characterization of raw and alkali treated new natural cellulosic fiber from Coccinia grandis. L. carbohydrate polymers. 2018;186:332–43.
33. Vijay R, Singaravelu DL, et al. Characterization of raw and alkali treated new natural cellulosic fibers from Tridax procumbens. Int J Biol Macromol. 2019;125:99–108.
34. Conrad CM. Determination of wax in cotton fiber a new alcohol extraction method. Indust Engin Chem Analyt Edit. 1944;16:745–748.
35. Senthamaraikannan P, Saravanakumar S, et al. Physico-chemical and thermal properties of untreated and treated Acacia planifrons bark fibers for composite reinforcement. Mater Lett. 2019;240:221–4.
36. Madhu P, Sanjay M, et al. Characterization of cellulosic fibre from Phoenix pusilla leaves as potential reinforcement for polymeric composites. J Mater Res Technol. 2019;8:2597–2604.
37. Mohanty A, Misra M, et al. Surface modifications of natural fibers and performance of the resulting biocomposites: an overview. Compos Interfac. 2001;8:313–43.
38. Kim JT, Netravali AN. Fabrication of advanced “green” composites using potassium hydroxide (KOH) treated liquid crystalline (LC) cellulose fibers. J Mater Sci. 2013;48:3950–7.
39. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Preparation and testing of bast fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites under chemical treatment. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2023;10:3164–77.
40. Idicula M, Joseph K, et al. Mechanical performance of short banana/sisal hybrid fiber reinforced polyester composites. J Reinforc Plast Compos. 2010;29:12–29.
41. Sreekala M, Kumaran M, et al. Oil palm fibre reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites: influence of fibre surface modifications on the mechanical performance. Appl Compos Mater. 2000;7:295–329.
42. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Surface modified Calotropis gigantea fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2022;9:2477–87.

Global warming solutions in the modern era are centered on substituting environmentally friendly biodegradable materials for fossil fuels to slow down the rate at which they are being depleted. The study literature supports the use of substitute materials for plastics in the creation of composite materials, and this work envisions the use of Calotropis gigantea fruit bunch fiber as one such substitute material. Since Calotropis gigantea fruit bunch fiber is widely available in Bangladesh and has little vegetation value, it was selected for this project. Three chemical pretreatments are applied to the Calotropis gigantea fruit bunch fiber: sodium hydroxide (alkali treatment), hydrogen peroxide (peroxide treatment), and benzoyl chloride (benzoylation). Chemically treated fibers are used to form composites, and their mechanical properties are examined. Compared to all other composites, benzoylated composites have superior tensile, compressive, and impact strengths. It has been shown that the benzoylation increased the composites’ tensile strength by 98.3%, compressive strength by 61.4%, and impact strength by 97.7% when compared to the untreated and benzoylated versions. The composite treated with hydrogen peroxide has more flexural strength than any other composite. A treatment with hydrogen peroxide increased the flexural strength by 44.5%. Hydrogen peroxide treatment increased the composite’s elongation capacity during tension, flexure, and compression tests, despite the composite’s flexural strength being somewhat lower than that of the benzoylated composite. Benzoyl chloride appears to be the most effective chemical treatment when considering overall performance. The surface morphology of the benzoylated composite revealed a few defects.h by 97.7% when compared to the untreated and benzoylated versions. The composite treated with hydrogen peroxide has more flexural strength than any other composite. A treatment with hydrogen peroxide increased the flexural strength by 44.5%. Hydrogen
peroxide treatment increased the composite’s elongation capacity during tension, flexure, and
compression tests, despite the composite’s flexural strength being somewhat lower than that of the
benzoylated composite. Benzoyl chloride appears to be the most effective chemical treatment when
considering overall performance. The surface morphology of the benzoylated composite revealed a
few defects.

🔒 This is a subscription article

Full text is available to subscribers and institutional members. Please choose an option below to access it.

1. Raja T, Devarajan Y. Mechanical and thermal stability of Millettia pinnata fibre-reinforced ZrO₂ nanofiller particulates polyester composite-an experimental study. Biom Convers Bioref. 2023:1–8.
2. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Preparation and evaluation of polypropylene-peanut shell flour eco-friendly composites with and without cloisite 30B. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2022;9:2658–68.
3. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Surface modification of plant-drive Calotropis gigantea fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Prog Appl Sci Technol. 2022;12:23–35.
4. Ramaswamy R, Gurupranes S, et al. Characterization of prickly pear short fiber and red onion peel biocarbon nanosheets toughened epoxy composites. Polym Compos. 2022;43:4899–4908.
5. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Effect of fiber modification on pineapple leaf fiber’s mechanical properties and interfacial adhesion. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2021;9:2818–29.
6. Lyu G, Qiao J, et al. Dynamic mechanical behaviors of a metastable β-type bulk metallic glass composite. J Alloy Compound. 2020;819:153040.
7. Salman SD. Effects of jute fibre content on the mechanical and dynamic mechanical properties of the composites in structural applications. Def Technol. 2020;16:1098–1105.
8. Shanmugasundaram N, Rajendran I, et al. Characterization of untreated and alkali treated new cellulosic fiber from an areca palm leaf stalk as potential reinforcement in polymer composites. Carbohyd Polym. 2018;195:566–75.
9. Prithivirajan R, Balasundar P, et al. Characterization of cellulosic fibers from Morus alba stem. J Nat Fiber. 2019;16:503–11.
10. Kathirselvam M, Kumaravel A, et al. Characterization of cellulose fibers in Thespesia populnea barks: influence of alkali treatment. Carbohyd Polym. 2019;217:178–89.
11. Ganapathy T, Sathiskumar R, et al. Characterization of raw and alkali treated new natural cellulosic fibres extracted from the aerial roots of banyan tree. Int J Biol Macromol. 2019;138:573–81.
12. Shyam Kumar R, Balasundar P, et al. A new natural cellulosic pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan) pod fiber characterization for bio-degradable polymeric composites. J Nat Fiber. 2021;18:1285–95.
13. Prithivirajan R, Narayanasamy P, Al-Dhabi NA, Balasundar P, Shyam Kumar R, Ponmurugan K, Ramkumar T, Senthil S. Characterization of Musa paradisiaca Cellulosic natural fibers from agro-discarded blossom petal waste. J Nat Fiber. 2020;17(11):1640–53.
14. Binoj J, Raj RE, et al. Comprehensive characterization of industrially discarded fruit fiber, Tamarindus indica as a potential eco-friendly bio-reinforcement for polymer composite. J Clean Prod. 2017;142:1321–31.
15. Supian MAF, Amin KNM, et al. Production of cellulose nanofiber (CNF) from empty fruit bunch (EFB) via mechanical method. J Environ Chem Engin. 2020;8:103024.
16. Devnani G, Sinha S. African teff straw as a potential reinforcement in polymer composites for light-weight applications: mechanical, thermal, physical, and chemical characterization before and after alkali treatment. J Nat Fiber. 2020;17:1011–25.
17. Balasundar P, Narayanasamy P, et al. Physico-chemical study of pistachio (Pistacia vera) nutshell particles as a bio-filler for eco-friendly composites. Mat Res Expr. 2019;6:105339.
18. Dittenber DB, GangaRao HV. Critical review of recent publications on use of natural composites in infrastructure. Compos Part A Appl Sci Manufact. 2012;43:1419–29.
19. Kabir M, Wang H, et al. Chemical treatments on plant-based natural fibre reinforced polymer composites: an overview. Compos Part B Engin. 2012;43:2883–92.
20. Vinayagamoorthy R, Rajeswari N. Mechanical performance studies on Vetiveria zizanioides/jute/glass fiber-reinforced hybrid polymeric composites. J Reinforce Plast Compos. 2014;33:81–92.
21. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Fabrication and surface modified non-woven Calotropis gigantea fiber mat reinforced polypropylene composites by film stacking method. J Thin Film Coat Sci Technol Appl. 2022;9:1–11.
22. Haque MM-U, Maniruzzaman M, et al. Thermal and tensile mechanical behavior of polystyrene graft acetic anhydride-treated pulque fibers. J Nat Fiber. 2016;13:125–36.
23. Sunija A, Ilango SS, et al. Thespesia populnea reinforced cashew nut husk tannin-based polyurethane composites. J Nat Fiber. 2015;12:481–93.
24. Zaman HU, Khan RA, et al. The improvement of physicomechanical, flame retardant, and thermal properties of lignocellulosic material filled polymer composites. J Thermoplast Compos Mater. 2023;36:1034–50.
25. Babu GD, Babu KS, et al. Tensile and wear behavior of Calotropis gigentea fruit fiber reinforced polyester composites. Proced Engin. 2014;97:531–5.
26. Raji R, Elangomannan S, et al. Calotropis gigantea fiber- a biogenic reinforcement material for europium substituted hydroxyapatite/poly (3, 4-propylenedioxythiophene) matrix: a novel ternary composite for biomedical applications. ACS omega. 2022;7:6024–34.
27. Velusamy K, Navaneethakrishnan P, et al. Experimental investigations to evaluate the mechanical properties and behavior of raw and alkali treated king’s crown (Calotropis gigantea) fiber to be employed for fabricating fiber composite. Appl Mech Mater. 2014;598:73–7.
28. Ramasamy R, Obi Reddy K, et al. Extraction and characterization of Calotropis gigantea bast fibers as novel reinforcement for composites materials. J Nat Fiber. 2018;15:527–38.
29. Zheng Y, Zhu Y, et al. Potential of Calotropis gigantea fiber as an absorbent for removal of oil from water. Indust Crop Prod. 2016;83:387–90.
30. Tu L, Duan W, et al. Calotropis gigantea fiber derived carbon fiber enables fast and efficient absorption of oils and organic solvents. Separat Purific Technol. 2018;192:30–5.
31. Sanjay M, Siengchin S, et al. A comprehensive review of techniques for natural fibers as reinforcement in composites: preparation, processing and characterization. Carbohyd Polym. 2019;207:108–21.
32. Senthamaraikannan P, Kathiresan M. Characterization of raw and alkali treated new natural cellulosic fiber from Coccinia grandis. L. carbohydrate polymers. 2018;186:332–43.
33. Vijay R, Singaravelu DL, et al. Characterization of raw and alkali treated new natural cellulosic fibers from Tridax procumbens. Int J Biol Macromol. 2019;125:99–108.
34. Conrad CM. Determination of wax in cotton fiber a new alcohol extraction method. Indust Engin Chem Analyt Edit. 1944;16:745–748.
35. Senthamaraikannan P, Saravanakumar S, et al. Physico-chemical and thermal properties of untreated and treated Acacia planifrons bark fibers for composite reinforcement. Mater Lett. 2019;240:221–4.
36. Madhu P, Sanjay M, et al. Characterization of cellulosic fibre from Phoenix pusilla leaves as potential reinforcement for polymeric composites. J Mater Res Technol. 2019;8:2597–2604.
37. Mohanty A, Misra M, et al. Surface modifications of natural fibers and performance of the resulting biocomposites: an overview. Compos Interfac. 2001;8:313–43.
38. Kim JT, Netravali AN. Fabrication of advanced “green” composites using potassium hydroxide (KOH) treated liquid crystalline (LC) cellulose fibers. J Mater Sci. 2013;48:3950–7.
39. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Preparation and testing of bast fiber reinforced thermoplastic composites under chemical treatment. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2023;10:3164–77.
40. Idicula M, Joseph K, et al. Mechanical performance of short banana/sisal hybrid fiber reinforced polyester composites. J Reinforc Plast Compos. 2010;29:12–29.
41. Sreekala M, Kumaran M, et al. Oil palm fibre reinforced phenol formaldehyde composites: influence of fibre surface modifications on the mechanical performance. Appl Compos Mater. 2000;7:295–329.
42. Zaman HU, Khan RA. Surface modified Calotropis gigantea fiber reinforced polypropylene composites. Int J Adv Sci Engin. 2022;9:2477–87.