Effect of alkali-activated sodium hydroxide treatment of coconut fiber on mechanical properties of lightweight foamed concrete

摘要

With regards to environmental concerns and in line with Malaysia government environmental strategy on utilizing sustainable waste materials such as those from natural resources in turn to diminish the harmful effect of synthetic materials on the environment, it has brought a challenge to reconnoiter how it can be attained by promoting the agricultural wastes into useful products. Hence this research attempt to investigate the potential use of coconut fiber as reinforcement material in lightweight foamed concrete. The effect of alkali treatment of coconut fiber at different percentages of 2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and l0% wt. concentration were investigated comprehensively. Experimental results showed that alkali treatment of coconut fiber plays an important role to alter the interface of the fiber adequately prompting a variation in the mechanical properties holistically. As a whole, 6% of alkali treatment of coconut fiber is the optimum percentage in which it gave the highest compressive strength, flexural strength and splitting tensile strength. The significance of alkali treatment of coconut fiber was the meddling of hydrogen bonding in the fiber surface, consequently increasing the surface roughness as well. This condition is really beneficial for coconut fiber and the cement matrix interfacial adhesion as a rougher surface expedites fiber and cement matrix mechanical interlocking.