Influence of the diameter on the mechanical property of agave fibre and their concentration on the thermomechanical properties of the Gypsum/Agave biocomposite

Bentahar, R.; Belghar, N.; Aissani, L.; Derfouf, S.; Lachi, M.; Chadi, K.; Tedeschi, C.

doi:10.24200/sci.2025.65376.9449

Influence of the diameter on the mechanical property of agave fibre and their concentration on the thermomechanical properties of the Gypsum/Agave biocomposite

Articles in Press

Document Type : Research Article

Authors

R. Bentahar ¹

N. Belghar ²

L. Aissani ²

S. Derfouf ³

M. Lachi ⁴

K. Chadi ⁵

C. Tedeschi ⁶

¹ LGEM laboratory, Mohamed Khider of Biskra University, BP 145 RP, 07000 Biskra, Algeria

² Abbas Laghrour University of Khenchela, Algeria

³ University of Batna, Algeria

⁴ University of Reims Champagne-Ardenne Faculty of Exact and Natural Sciences Moulin de la Housse Campus - BP 1039 51687 Reims Cedex 2 – France

⁵ Research Center in Industrial Technologies CRTI, Algiers

⁶ Laboratory for Diagnostic and Investigation on Built Heritage Materials, Dept. Of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Politecnico di Milano, Piazza Leonardo da Vinci, 32, 20133 MILANO, Italy

10.24200/sci.2025.65376.9449

Abstract

A study on agave fibers shows a strong correlation between fiber diameter and the mechanical behavior of gypsum/agave biocomposites (GAB). The finest fibers (0.03 mm) demonstrate very high tensile strength (2853.03 MPa) and a significant elastic modulus (225.83 GPa), giving the composite great stiffness but also increased brittleness. When mixed into a gypsum matrix, agave fibers generally improve the material’s performance. However, under compression, adding fibers reduces strength (from 7.96 MPa to 1.69 MPa at 3 wt%) due to increased porosity and weak bonding between fiber and matrix. Using a moderate fiber content (1 wt%) enhances ductility and flexural strength (3.35 MPa), while also increasing flexibility (flexural strain of 3.98 × 10⁻² %) without harming cohesion. On the other hand, fiber contents of 2 wt% or more reduce stiffness (down to 168.48 MPa at 3 wt%) because of weaker adhesion and higher porosity, which leads to structural weakness. Thermal conductivity also varies with fiber content. Adding 1 wt% slightly raises it (0.4445 W/m•K), while 3 wt% significantly lowers it (0.3075 W/m•K), improving insulation through better fiber dispersion and porosity control. Overall, agave fibers present strong potential for sustainable biocomposites, offering a promising balance between mechanical strength and thermal performance.

Keywords

Agave fibers

Gypsum

Biocomposites

Compression

Bending

Thermal conductivity

Thermomechanical

Subjects