Preparation of nano-xylan and its influences on the anti-fungi performance of straw fiber/HDPE composite

Abstract Degradation due to wood rot fungi is one of the most severe threats to the long-term performance of plant fiber reinforced thermoplastic composite. This study aims to enhance the anti-fungi performance of the straw fiber/HDPE composite with synthesized nano-xylan. The nano-xylan was prepared with corn xylan through the ultrasonically assisted alkaline treatment. It was found that the maximum yielding rate (25.7 %) can be obtained with 280 W ultrasonic power, 8% NaOH solution, 100 °C treatment temperature, and 150 min treatment time. In addition, the dimension of the nano-xylan decreases with increasing treatment temperature. The anti-fungi effects of the nano-xylan on the corn straw bast fiber and straw fiber/HDPE composite were then examined by analyzing the microstructure with SEM, and measuring the mass loss and strength loss. The findings suggest that after a 12-week infection, The nano-xylan treated corn straw bast fiber can retain its integrity after a 12-week infection and the formation of hyphae clusters inside the cell cavity can be prevented. The mass loss and strength loss of the composite can also be minimized through nano-xylan treatment. The results in this study may provide an environment-friendly protocol to enhance the durability of the composite.