A new approach for semi-automatic measurement and morphological analysis of fibres throughout thermoplastic compounding process: a case study on giant reed fibres

Abstract

This work describes a systematic method far the analysis of the defibrization of natural fibres during the compounding process by twin-screw extrusion. The variation of morphological features such as length, diameter and aspect ratio of natural fibres is analysed by affordable optical scanning methods and opensource software. The use of this technique far the measurement of giant reed fibres in PE and PLA-based composite materials has preved that there are no significant differences in the output fibre morphology of the compound, regardless the fibre feed sizes and extruder scale, using equivalent screw configuration and extrusion parameters.