Effect of alkali modification on the powder flowability of rapeseed straw cellulose fibers

Powder flowability of natural reinforced fibers has a significant effect on the processing and properties of the composite. Sodium hydroxide modified rapeseed straw reinforced fibers were prepared in four fiber sizes and the powder flowability before and after modification was tested. The results showed that the alkali modification reduced the total flowability index of the fibers by 6–11 within the test range, with the effect on each flowability index in the order of compression > angle of spatula > angle of repose > miformity. This effect was mainly attributed to morphological, chemical and surface characteristics. Moreover, the slimming effect of the alkali modification reduced the average particle size by 9.4% to 30.8%, exacerbating the anisotropy of the morphological structure. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analyses showed that pectin, lipids, hemicellulose and impurities were removed, exposing the clean rough fiber surface. Box plot analysis showed that the modification resulted in a uniform and regular distribution of shape factors. This work has valuable implications for the industrial application of straw cellulose fibers in the field of natural fiber composites.