Physical, Thermal and Tribological Characteristics of Sustainable Kenaf‐Bamboo Polylactic Acid Hybrid Biocomposites With Surface Treatment and Halloysite Nanotubes Addition

ABSTRACT The limited mechanical and moisture‐resistant properties of natural fiber composites hinder their use in structural applications. The study focuses on the hybridization of stacked laminate biocomposites made from environmentally friendly natural fibers (Kenaf, Bamboo) reinforced with biopolymers (Polylactic acid). Modification through alkali treatment for fibers and halloysite nanotube biofiller addition for the matrix is carried out, and its performance characteristics are evaluated. The hydrophilic nature of natural fibers is mitigated by combined alkali treatment and nanofiller reinforcement, as confirmed by spectral and morphological analysis. Alkali treatment improves fiber density by 8.5% over untreated composites and reduces voids from 0.99% to 0.91%, further lowered to 0.87% for nanofiller with the lowest water uptake of 7.71%. Experimental results on thermal and tribological characteristics indicated enhancement of peak degradation temperature and wear resistance by 11.21% and 40.11% for alkali‐treated and 14.01% and 50% for the addition of nanofiller reinforced composites. Further, the worn surface of composites is examined for microstructural changes to confirm the enhancement in characteristics. The results indicate that chemically treated fibers, along with halloysite nanotube as filler in polylactic acid, significantly improve the wear resistance, thereby increasing the usage of the sustainable biocomposites in constructional materials for sliding door applications.